Portal: Carthage's Story
by Draconos13
Summary: In the future, the human race is destroying itself by its own greed and corruption. When one human boy is nearly killed by his own kind, he wishes to make them suffer. He awakens in a strange place in a strange new body, learning about strange technologies and strange people that have defied the most powerful of machines. But will he find his new mission in the panels of Aperture?
1. Prologue: From the Darkness

**Hey, everyone! Here's the start of a Portal fanfic that I am putting up here for your viewing pleasure. Comments are appreciated, and reviews are much obliged, but I will NOT read flames. Constructive criticism, however, is accepted.**

**Anyway, onto the Prologue!**

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When I was young, I thought nothing could be worse in this world then it already was-turns out I was quite wrong.

The human race-_Homo Sapiens_-that had advanced from the primates and mammals of the prehistoric era and grew to dominate the third planet from the Sun had become corrupt with power and wealth. I had thought we as a species would become peaceful to our world, but we have merely rendered it to a shadow of its former, glorious self. It seemed like we would only destroy the planet we called our home and ourselves along with it.

Then the quarreling began.

Just like two bickering children fighting over the highest spot on the playground jungle gym, the human race began to fight amongst itself, driven only by the base emotions of hate, anger, greed and dominance against anyone that tried to stop them from living how they wanted to live. Entire armies were destroyed without a single regard for human life-the fighters and generals only wanted to feel the thrill of victory as they vanquished their foes to dust.

The final thing I remember before my period of silence was my hometown being destroyed by a small faction of marauding rebel humans. As I lay there, mortally on the brink of death itself, I can remember one final thought that echoed through my mind:

'_I don't want to be a human anymore…I want the humans to suffer for the pain they have caused._'

What I least expected was a slightly robotic voice answering back to me—

"_You no longer have to be…_"

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**Quite short, I know, but this is just the beginning. Future chapters will be longer and contain more elements of where the main character is going to be. **

**R&R, please! **


	2. Chapter 1: New Discoveries

**Hello everyone! **

**I'm posting up TWO chapters today (pleasing, no?) because I would like all of you to get a good start on how this series is going to turn out. This chapter is longer then the Prologue, so bear with me! **

**Onward to the Chapter!**

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The first sound to reach my injured ears was a low thrumming, almost like a heartbeat echoing across a metal surface, leaving resounding echoes in its wake. As more hearing returned to me, I also detected the sound of a multitude of pistons and gears hissing and screeching as if something was rotating near my location. Then a small chattering-too fast for me to understand, almost as if it were some sort of cricket or bird trying to speak some sort of secret message to me. All this while the thrumming continued, getting slowly stronger over time, but never drowning out the other noises. Then more piston-like sounds, a mechanical whir, the sound of a door sealing shut and then…utter silence. Even the distant thrumming had gone away in an instant. But this was no ordinary silence: this was the silence that assaults your ears, fills them up to the brim and makes you deaf to all other sounds around you, if there were any others to hear at all.

My eyes remained closed this entire time through sheer force of will, even though the desire to open them and gaze at where I was located was almost unbearable. As the silence grew stronger, I finally opened them a crack-and instantly felt a ten ton blow slam into my retinas and my head as a radiant white light pierced the darkness of my eyelids as an arrow pierces its target. I may have moaned then from pain and grogginess, because a sound then pierced through the silence: a very mechanical and modified male sound.

"_Hello, and welcome to the Aperture Science Enrichment Centre_" it said, its words pounding in my brain as I slowly opened my eyes more and more, gradually getting used to the light. The voice continued speaking despite my actions; "_You should feel quite pleased to have survived the difficulties of being in the midst of an almost-certainly apocalyptic situation beyond any form of human control. Congratulations for making it this far by yourself; your own advancements have improved the cause of science by about 2, 000 years._" By this time I was able to stand up and my eyes had just about fully adjusted to the light. My ears, however, pricked up on hearing the final sentence uttered by the strange voice.

'_2000 years_?" I thought to myself, '_that does not seem even possible. For one, how could a human being actually live that long in the first place?'_

"_Unfortunately,_" the voice continued,_ "your own actions have prevented you from further advancing the cause of science on your own. That's where we come in, for we have modified-_"

At that moment, the sound suddenly fizzled out with computer garble rapidly being projected instead of the metallic sound. The change was so sudden my ears, already injured as they were, were injured all the more because my brain was still processing the information the voice had said. A moment later, however, the jargon stopped and the voice returned to normal as if nothing had happened.

"_-Please stand back. A portal will open in 3…2…1_"

'_A portal?_' I thought as my eyes fully accustomed to the light above, '_How is that possible_…'

Just then the air seemed to ripple by some sort of force-I could feel the ripple pass through my body like a surge of energy. In front of me, a ring of fire spontaneously appeared on the wall, but the inside of the ring was not in flames. Instead, an image of a young boy standing inside of a small room was shown. I then looked around me, and I realized that the room shown in this ring of fire was the very same room I was in now. The room seemed to consist of a toilet, a small table and a bed that looked like it belonged in an episode of _Star Trek_ or some other space-oriented vessel. I raised my right hand to scratch my head out of confusion, but then stopped as I saw my hand. It looked like it was made out of a streamlined metal design, but the fingers and wrist worked like a regular human hand—I flexed them a few times to test, and they worked fine. My left hand was the same as well. I then looked at my body, and saw I was wearing a white jumpsuit combined with white skin-fitting pants. Instead of shoes, I saw metal talon-like feet that looked more like they belonged on a bird then my human legs. As I tested the weight of the feet, the talons spread out like human toes would as a human walked, which surprised me.

_'This is just getting weirder by the minute'_ I thought to myself as I took a few tentative steps forward, my feet producing a small _chink_ with each step. As I approached the ring of fire on the wall, I didn't feel heat from the ring-instead, I felt a tingle spread throughout my whole body-it seemed to comfort me. Steeling my nerve, I stepped through the ring, feeling the tingle grow into a small surge of energy that seemed to energize my very bloodstream. A millisecond later, I was standing on a metal floor outside the room where I awoke. Looking around now I saw white tiled walls that seemed unspeakably clean-all traces of deterioration had been erased from each tile with painstaking effort. Looking back through the ring of flame, I now saw a _blue_ ring of flame instead of an orange one, and, through the flame, the room where I awoke.

'_So a blue ring and an orange one allow you to go through walls?_' I thought in surprise and wonder, '_Interesting… I wonder what else lies in this place that I should know?_'

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**If you thought the ending was a strange place to end it, then don't worry! The next chapter will begin right where this one leaves off. **

**However, I would appreciate some reviews before I post the 2nd Chapter, so please R&R. **

**Draconos is taking off!**


	3. Chapter 2: Learning the Rules

**Hey, everyone! I am posting up the next chapter of the story, which continues right where the last one left off. I hope you enjoy it, and please R&R!**

**Onward to the chapter!  
**

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I walked down the hallway I was in with tentative steps until I reached a large door shaped in the form of a half-circle. In the center of the door was a circle showing the image of a man running to an exit. As I reached out to touch it, the image of the exit turned 180 degrees as the door split apart with a mechanical whir, revealing a new room inside. This new room had the same paneling as the previous hallway, but there was a huge red button in the center of the room, as well as some kind of tube that went into the ceiling at the far left corner of the room that held a large cube inside. Blue dots built into the floor connected the button to a small panel on the wall next to a new door. The panel currently showed a blue "X".

I stepped closer to the tube, seeing two small signs imprinted on a floor panel in front of the tube. The panels showed a cube falling down from above and a human being impacted on the head with a falling cube. Both signs made me cringe in fear—just as a _hiss_ reached my ears from above. I quickly jumped back as a very large cube fell from the tube and hit the ground just in front of where I was standing before. I stood stock still in fear for a few seconds before I assumed nothing _else_ would drop out of the tube.

'_So the signs give notice of what things I could use for this room._' I thought to myself in understanding. I then attempted to pick up the cube, but the voice from before stopped me before I could complete this task.

"_All Aperture Science Weighted Storage Cubes_," it said,"_are capable of being placed almost anywhere in the testing area—for example, on the Aperture Science Heavy Duty Super Colliding Super Button._" This prompted me to stop for another moment—a cube and a button? Those sounded like the keys to solving this problem.

Making up my mind, I reached my hands around the rather large cube and picked it up, stumbling slightly as I felt the full weight of the item on my body. The cube also blocked my direct forward vision, so I had to rely on what I could see on my sides.

'_Now I see why these cubes are called 'Weighted'!_' I thought as I stumbled towards the button and placed the cube onto it. The button then glowed red, a small chime was heard, and the blue blocks turned to orange ones as the panel with the blue "X" turned to an orange " √", opening the door for me.

"_Good,_" the metallic voice said as I stepped towards the door, "_please proceed towards the elevator quickly, as prolonged contact to the Super Button is not part of the test. However, before you head to the assigned elevator, please take a moment to look at the static field in front of you._" Doing so, I discovered that the 'static field' the voice spoke of was actually a field of flashing particles that produced a light blue aura.

"_This Aperture Science Material Emancipation Grid_" the voice spoke on, "_will vaporize any unauthorized objects that attempt to leave the testing area. You, however, are a highly authorized object of Aperture Science and will not be harmed by the Grid._" I could swear I heard a sarcastic tone in that comment. Putting it aside, I reached out to touch the grill, hoping what the voice said about me not being vaporized was true.

As my fingers passed through the grill, I felt another tingle pass through my body as the particles slipped around my fingers rather than through them. Gathering my courage again, I stepped through the particle field entirely, feeling the surge increase drastically in strength as my vision flickered like I was having a seizure. Falling to the ground with my head in my hands, I felt something wash over me...

_A woman stood in front of multiple computer consoles to the left of a large, dome-like chamber. The computers provided the only set of light in the chamber, their bright glow illuminating the silver-coated bodysuit with short sleeves and long pants the woman wore. Her wide eyes glowed bright yellow as she smiled at a certain someone completing the first of many test chambers..._

I drew in a deep breath as I recovered from what I saw. Who was that woman? Why was she watching those screens? Was she the woman who saved me from death by human hands and put me into this body? Countless questions like these poured through my mind as I walked to the open elevator, the doors closing behind me as the elevator began a slightly shaky descent to an unknown place. I noticed that there were multiple pads in this elevator, but all of them seemed covered in scratches, as if someone had desperately tried to claw their way out of this contraption. Shaking my head at the sudden thought, I closed my eyes for a brief rest.

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**Well, that seems like a good spot to leave it for now. **  
**What more secrets will our character discover inside Aperture? We'll see soon enough...  
**

**Anyway, I hope you appreciate the update, and thanks for the comments and views-I am pleased that people are liking this!  
**

**Draconos is taking off!  
**


	4. Chapter 3: Worries and Visions

**Hello again! Due to receiving many views, I have decided to post the next chapter for the story. This chapter starts where the last one left off, with a new chamber for our protagonist to discover. Enjoy!**

**Also, DISCLAIMER! I do not own Portal, Portal 2, or any other sort of Portal franchise. I DO own my OC character, though. **

**Onward to the Chapter!**

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Scarcely any time had passed before the elevator doors opened with a _hiss_ to a short hallway that opened out to a larger chamber slightly below the entrance hallway. Walking forward a little bit, a sudden whine of electrical energy startled me as a large, rectangular white sign hanging on the wall to my left turned on, revealing a large number "02", a smaller "02/19" and a series of signs like the ones before, some of which were bold black while the rest were light grey. The only bold sign I saw was the one with the human being hit on the head by the cube as well as the cube falling down from the cylinder.

'_Good_,' I thought to myself, '_no new surprises._' I then jumped down the small gap into the chamber below, landing without harm on my feet. Just as I did, a familiar ripple passed through my body. Turning around, I saw an orange ring—no, _portal_—on the wall behind me. I then searched around for the blue portal, but found none nearby. What I _did_ find were three glass walls separating me from a cube, a Super Button and the exit door, each one behind a different wall. In front of each wall was a small button on a cylindrical pedestal. I walked over to the wall that had the cube in it and pressed the button in front of it. A small chime sounded, and a blue portal opened on the inside wall of the room. I then noticed how both portals were being kept open from multiple dots of that color light. Putting that thought aside for future reference, I ran through the orange portal into the room with the cube, picked it up with less difficulty then before, and quickly stumbled my way out into the main chamber. Placing the cube down on the floor, I moved to the room with the Super Button in it, about to repeat the same procedure to go to the button.

Before I could do so, however, the announcer interrupted with the words "_Good—you are learning well. Rest assured, if any complaints come to your mind, you can tell them to an Aperture Science Complaint Associate at the conclusion of your test. A report will be filed to you when human society has been restored."_

I widened my eyes at that—when society was _restored_? I had already known that the human race was bickering like squabbled children, but was it that dangerous outside this place? Shaking my head quickly to clear the thought, I quickly finished the puzzle, pressing the button for the small room containing the Super-Button.

A few seconds later, having placed the cube onto the Super Button like before, I stood in front of the now—open exit door, the Emancipation Grid in front of me. I clenched my fists in worry—would I be dealt another vision when I stepped through? Once again gathering my courage, I stepped through the particle field, the now—familiar surge of energy filling me again, making me groan as I fell to the floor…

_The same woman from before, now standing in front of a massive chassis that stretched into the ceiling. The chassis seemed to lie dormant, the front of it almost touching the floor. The woman stared at this piece of machinery in admiration for a few moments, and then went to a small pedestal adjacent to the chassis. The pedestal held a strange glove with many different buttons. The woman waved a hand vaguely and the pedestal disappeared into the floor, traveling to a new test chamber..._

When I recovered, I found I was actually inside the elevator already—I may have walked in or fell inside. Either way, I wondered about that new device I saw. Would I be using it in the next chamber? How did it work, and would it actually help me? Leaving the answers for a future time, I closed my eyes and settled down for a quick rest as the elevator ascended again to a new test chamber.

What I did not know then was that the woman in my visions was watching me with her many "eyes" scattered across the countless chambers that she controlled with a mere thought. She monitored my recent progress with satisfaction, and grinned all the more as the door opened to the next chamber, for this chamber held one of the great projects designed for the future of Aperture Science…

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**Well, there you go! Hope this is good as a next part.**

**Please R&R, and comment as well.**

**Draconos is taking off!**


	5. Chapter 4: Technology and Trickery

**Hello again!**

**I apologize if I have made people wait too long-school is just starting up again here and I have been forced to hit the ground running, as it were. **

**To compromise, here is a BIG chapter for you all to enjoy! This will introduce the new device as well as an old friend of the Portal franchise...**

**Onward to the** **Chapter!**

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All too soon, the elevator doors opened again to a corridor leading to a larger chamber. As I passed through the corridor, a large white sign like the one before lit up on a wall on my left side. This sign was just about the same as before, telling me what the new chamber contained. The one thing that struck me as odd was the bolded sign of a stick figure's hand wielding a strange glove. Another bolded sign next to that showed the same person using the glove to create a portal.

As I moved away from the sign, I heard a large _crackle_ from the walls around me, as if there was something wrong with the speakers. Stopping and getting into an instinctive combat position, I waited a couple of seconds in worry, eyes scanning every possible corner of the room that I could see to find the cause of the sound.

Just then a voice reached my ears from the speakers—it had the same robotic tone as the announcer's voice, but it had a female pitch instead of a male's. It spoke with a calm and cool tone, with a slight hint of satisfaction as well.

"_Due to mandatory scheduled technical maintenance procedures,_" the female voice spoke without any change in tone, "_the current announcer for these test chambers has been temporarily put on standby. As I am in higher position then the former announcer was,_" at that moment I sensed an undercurrent of sarcastic tone, "_I will take over observing you for the remainder of these chambers. Do not be alarmed by this change—merely continue testing as you were before. All your questions will be answered shortly—your most recent one is at the podium in the center of the chamber._" At that, the voice shut off with a small, high-pitched chime, bringing almost complete silence to the chamber and leaving me in much confusion.

'_Does whoever that person is know what I'm thinking?_' I thought to myself as I turned right at the wall and passed through a door that opened at my presence,_ 'Cause if it does, then it has to answer a lot of…_'

The sentence was never finished as I stared at the large chamber in front of me. The center area was built at a lower level then where I was now standing and the faraway exit. There _was_ a podium in the center of the chamber, and it held a small glove between two black placeholders. From where I was, I could see the glove glinted with silver and seemed to have multiple slots on the top of it. I forgot all sense of caution as I quickly jumped down to the lower area without harm and raced to the podium.

On closer examination, the podium was actually white with a small blue screen on my side showing an arrow pointing up at the glove. The glove looked to fit my right hand perfectly, the slots actually being small holes above the three center fingers. The silver coating flashed brightly in the chamber light, almost making me shield my eyes with my hand. I slowly grasped the object in my hands—it seemed to hum with strange warmth. As I slipped it onto my right hand, I heard a quick series of _clicks_ as the glove seemed to fasten onto my hand, bright blue and orange lines appearing along the exterior of the glove. The lines connected to my thumb and pinky fingers, and seemed to almost glow with power.

"_Very good,_" the female voice said, "_You are now in possession of the Aperture Science Multi-Purpose Glove. This upgraded version of the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device has proven to be approximately 50% safer then the former device was at creating portals. The device is also much safer by facility standards as well—the operational end of the device is much more safe to look at then the former device was, for example."_ I was only half listening to the message as I looked at the device. My thumb and pinky had small buttons near them, the pinky having orange and the thumb blue. As I bent my fingers inside the glove, a sudden surge of pain in my ears made me pause and cover my ears with my hands. Despite having my ears closed with my hands, I still heard another voice in my head—this one, even with the robotic tone, was soft, childlike and kind, rather then harsh or sarcastic like the other two.

"_Position the glove towards an applicable wall and press either your thumb or pinky finger to create a portal_," it said. I uncovered my ears after hearing nothing else from the speaker, but did not wonder about what the voice had said. I merely positioned my right hand at the paneled wall on my left, pressed my thumb against my hand, and felt my arm jerk back as a blue ball of energy shot out from the glove, transforming into a closed blue portal upon contacting the wall. I then angled my wrist upward to a wall near the exit and pressed my pinky against my hand, feeling the same jerk as before, as an orange portal appeared on the other wall in the same way the blue portal did. I then looked through the blue portal to my left and, seeing it was now open, stepped through it, appearing right in front of the exit door. I then raced through the exit door, but paused suddenly as I saw something that didn't look quite right.

Instead of being an Emancipation Grid like before, the Grid was solid white, a wire connecting from the Grid to what looked like a speaker box placed on the left of the Grid. As I took in this new information, the female voice from before spoke again.

"_Due to Code 117-35 of the Aperture Science Rules and Regulations, any test subject testing a new substance for Aperture Science must insert the correct voice code to successfully complete the testing chamber. Failure to do so will result in that subject's immediate termination._" My heart lurched as I heard this statement. _Termination?_ That sounded a bit extreme. Guess I would have to talk my way out of this one. Unfortunately, my throat burned slightly, so my voice was probably going to sound like a dehydrated person.

I opened my mouth to speak the code…and suddenly realized I didn't _know_ the code! I quickly flipped the glove on my hand around, hoping to find some kind of serial number of the device. Seeing none, I visibly slouched as I contemplated the only possible answer now: my own death.

"_You have not yet entered the correct voice code to exit the test chamber,_" the female voice announced, "_The Enrichment Center will give you ten more seconds to answer, or you will be terminated._"

Ten seconds…it wouldn't be long enough…

"…-735…"

What?

"…65-735…"

Who was saying that? I heard it in my ears, but no one was around me to say it. Was it in my head again? Was I hearing things?

"_You have five seconds remaining, Test Subject_"

I heard something whirring in the panels, almost like something was emerging into the chamber.

"…#465-735... Aperture Science Multi-Purpose Glove…SAY IT!"

"_Two seconds remaining, Test Subject_" the female voice told me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a red laser beam emerge from a wall and aim itself at me…

My mouth opened without my knowing…

"_One second…_"

"Code #465-735…Aperture Science Multi-Purpose Glove!" a voice that seemed melodic in tone shouted into the voice coder—a voice from _my_ own lips.

A long pause followed. Then, the Grid turned light blue and burst into the regular particle form again. The laser also suddenly vanished from my sight, as if it had never existed in the first place.

"_Very good, Test Subject,_" the female voice spoke—with what seemed to be a tone of deep satisfaction, "_You now have the authorization to use the Aperture Science Multi-Purpose Glove in future tests. Please enter the elevator now to proceed to the next chamber. I assure you, all your questions will be answered._"

I sighed to myself—that had been _way_ too close for comfort. I calmly stepped through the Grid…and kept on walking to the elevator.

It took me about two seconds to comprehend that I had _not_ suffered another vision as I had stepped through the Grid. Had the Grid's effects on me been neutralized, or had the female person speaking to me changed that part of the Grid? Shaking my head in wonder and confusion, I entered the open elevator, and once again settled myself down for a rest…but felt the elevator suddenly shudder and move much faster then normal. Standing up in confusion, I kept myself ready for anything that might come.

What I did not see then was the woman from before slipping herself into a small capsule, multiple wires connecting her body to the lining of the capsule—and the large chamber around it. The lid closed, a dull hum echoed around the chamber, and the chassis in the center suddenly swiveled to life, swaying left and right before mounting itself successfully to stare at the elevator entrance that now held the person she would talk to. The chassis's yellow optic narrowed in concentration as the elevator swiftly approached the chamber.

It was time to speak the truth to the test subject—she knew that all too well.

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**Well, that's that! Hope you like the direction this is going-comments, as always, are appreciated (but NOT flames!). **

**Draconos is taking off!**


	6. Chapter 5: Revealing the Mysteries

**"Well, here we are again! It's such a pleasure..."**

**Anyway, I judge it is time for a new chapter for you all to read/review/enjoy. Also, 300+ views for my story so far...that's just "Fantastic" for me to see. I am most pleased that this story of mine is being well-recieved by the public.**

**Also, once again, DISCLAIMER! I do not own Portal, Portal 2, Portal Lab Rat, etc. or any sort of Valve franchise related to the Portal series. I DO, however, own my Original Character. **

**Onward to the chapter! **

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The elevator doors opened this time to reveal a massive dome structure in which the elevator was inside, with multiple panels forming the large wall. A dull blue glow emanated from gaps within the panels, giving off a dim light that shone around the whole chamber. The light was not enough to show anything in the chamber, so I was partially blind in figuring out what was there.

As I looked around, a sudden _rumble_ drew my attention to the wall panels as they suddenly shifted around to reveal strange beam emitters on their other side. Then the emitters shone beams of white light onto the center of the chamber, revealing a sliver and gray chassis of massive proportions. Strangely, the light did not blind me, even though the magnitude of the light beams reflected by the chassis was massive. What seemed like a forest of steel cables and wires connected it to the ceiling far above, and the very front had what seemed like a single gray eye that could swivel up or down at will. As I sneaked forward, my every step making a small _chink_ on the floor as metal contacted metal, I was so awestruck by the size of this machine that I did not notice the chassis starting to shift and the optic starting to brighten.

Didn't notice, that is, until it was suddenly glowing mere feet from my face.

The optic that was gray before now glowed bright yellow, its energy making me squint my eyes in response. Other then my eyes, I froze up—my entire body just froze like a deer caught in the headlights of an approaching vehicle…which, to say, seemed very much like what I was in now.

"_Welcome to the Aperture Science Computer Aided Enrichment Center,_" the same female voice from before spoke from what seemed like the chassis itself, the metallic tone from before now much stronger in here. "_We are greatly pleased with your progress so far in the test chambers, and we wish to speak to you more closely to learn how we can further increase your testing experience._"

My limbs then responded again, allowing me to leap back several feet between me and this now _alive_ machine, which reared back slightly in surprise, and then leaned forward as far as it could go, the optic narrowing in what seemed to be a frown.

"_Do not be afraid of my appearance, Test Subject,_" the chassis said with a more mellow voice, seeming almost motherly, "_I know that humans are most dangerous when they are afraid or angry._"

"What are you?" I finally got out of me, my own metallic tone echoing across the chambers slightly, which caused the chassis to turn its frontal head slightly to my left as if comprehending the question in its artificial mind.

"_So you CAN speak,_" it spoke with deep satisfaction in its voice, its voice now back to the emotionless drone from before "_This makes things much easier in the long run. As to who I am, I am known as the Genetic Lifeform Operating Disk System, or GlaDOS. I am the master of all property that is in Aperture Science._" She…it…I didn't know anymore, then leaned back as if waiting for me to tell my name as well.

"I…I'm…" I tried to recall my name, but I just couldn't remember it. It was as if my memory banks had been purged clean of that specific piece of data.

Wait, _what_? Why am I thinking like this anyway? I shook my head multiple times to clear my logistics process…my _head_ of those thoughts.

"_If you are wondering why you cannot remember your specific human designation,_" the chassis then spoke with almost mock worry, "_then you should know that I deleted it when I found you in order to allow easier access to your behavioral programs._"

My stomach lurched—she had done _what_ to me!? Anger filled my blood as I whirled around and was about to charge at the chassis with fists clenched—but as soon as I stepped forward, I felt a surge of electrical energy rock my body to the ground. I barely noticed the screams of pain I made, but I was sure _she_ did, for her body seemed to twist and pivot in what seemed to be a mix of pleasure and wonder at my pain.

"_I also had to take precautions to make sure that you did not try to harm me when this truth was revealed to you,_" she spoke further as I slowly rose to my feet, a slight _hiss_ of steam reaching my ears from multiple places on my metallic body where the electricity had _really_ hit me, "_One of these things was installing the electrical system you just felt. If you are quite finished with your unnecessary human anger, I can explain to you how you came here in the first place. Anger is *NOT* science, if you must know._"

Growling with slight pain and anger, I stood tall and waited for what she had to say.

As she rose further up to the ceiling of the massive chamber, I saw multiple panels turn off their beam emitters and retract into the wall. In their place appeared what seemed to be a giant video screen, currently black because it was off. A second later, it flickered into life, showing a series of static images composed onto one screen. Images of a ravaged human village were cycled through, each image showing the same scene—a building destroyed, people and animals dead by bullet wounds or burnt to charred crisps of flesh. Not a stranger to destruction where I was from, I did not flinch through these images as the chassis—_GladDOS_, I should say—commented briefly on each, her voice never changing its non-emotional tone.

She then stopped at one image in particular—it showed a young human boy with most of his skin burned off, multiple limbs missing, and blood all around him. When this image appeared, GlaDOS then turned toward me, her optic glowing with satisfaction.

"_Recognize anyone in this image, do you?_" she asked. I looked at the image carefully, and recognized something on the body—a small scar on its left cheek in the shape of an "X". I immediately rose my hand to my cheek, and felt an "X" carved along my own cheek as well.

My face paled—that boy was _me_.

Realization hit me as my vision suddenly turned white…

_I am lying on my back, my body almost completely numb with pain, my brain only registering the slightest feelings that my body is producing. Two silhouettes, one glowing blue and the other yellow stand in front of me and look at me with much curiosity. I can barely see them through my swelling eyelids, but I can hear them chattering in voice more suited to a robot then a human. The blue one is smaller then the orange one, but both are carrying strange guns in their hands. The two of them chatter for another moment, and then turn around to leave._

_No…they can't leave me here to die like this! I don't deserve to die in this place! _

_"Help…me…" My throat instantly regrets saying that, but the two beings suddenly turn around and race to my side. The orange one points to me with confusion and mutters what seems like a question, causing the blue one to shrug its shoulders in response. The two of them stare at me for a few more seconds, and then, after nodding to one another, each one picks up one end of me, placing me between them._

_I can feel their cold metal bodies pressing against my burnt skin, and I moan in pain. The orange one seems to coo as it strokes my head with delicate movements while avoiding my burnt areas, causing the blue one to mutter something its companion didn't hear, and I didn't understand. _

_I don't know who these two are, but they saved me from death._

_I should thank them…if I live long enough to…_

_I felt myself sink to darkness as I felt the two run across the burnt grass, away from my former home…_

My eyes opened.

_She_ was in front of me again, her optic trained on me as if I were a delicious piece of food. Through a dim reflection on her facial frame, I can see the left side of my face had been turned a metallic silver color, my left eye glowing bright yellow and almost burning with power and knowledge. My right eye flashed blue as well, the enhanced cybernetic implants behind my cornea activating for the first time.

"_Well,_" she asked, "_Do you remember now?"_

I did. The two beings—robots—that had saved me had come from _her_, and they had brought me here so that _she_ could reformat me into what I was now for the betterment of science.

She had resurrected me from eternal sleep.

"Yes, GlaDOS," I spoke with a clear tone, "I remember _everything_ now."

GlaDOS seemed to smile without a mouth as the chamber lit up again, the screen retreating into the panels as if it were never there, the beam emitters returning to their normal positions.

"_Good,_" she spoke as the elevator doors opened again behind me, "_You should return to the testing area. There are a lot of new devices still to be tested…and so many years left to do it._"

"Of course, GlaDOs," I replied as I slipped into the elevator, the Multi-Purpose Glove in my hand glowing with power, "I'll get right to it."

The doors shut, and my true testing began…

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**Whew! That was a workout for me! Hope the effort was worth it...**

**Anyway, please Read, Review and Enjoy! I hope you still like where the story is going. Comments are much appreciated, flames will be dealt with accordingly (attempts menacing stare at viewer while smiling deeply...), and a new story idea included in a review will be looked over and (possibly) put into the story. I will mention the contributors of any idea that I put into my story, so don't get discouraged!**

**Draconos is taking off!**


	7. Chapter 6: Unlocking the Power

**Hello once again! It is time for the newest chapter of my story to be told!**

**This has to be the longest chapter that I have written so far, so I hope you receive it well! I also hope you like how the story is going so far-this chapter will begin right from where the last chapter ended.**

**DISCLAIMER! I do not own Portal, Portal 2, or anything Valve has developed. I DO own my O.C, however. **

**Onward to the chapter!**

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Once again the doors opened, but this time I could feel the energies that lurked inside the test chambers ready for my presence—or perhaps that was GlaDOS working behind the scenes to modify the chamber for the test, I did not truly know.

"_You should really slow down,_" GlaDOS then spoke, as if to confirm my suspicions, "_You are not the first test subject to complete test chambers faster then I can prepare them. Show some respect for those with superior intelligence and creativity._"

"Exactly who would you say has more intelligence or creativity then you then, since you seem to be doing quite well at being "creative" for my arrival?" I questioned with a bashful grin on my face. A pause was all I got in response—she must have not prepared for _that_ one to come at her, or she was busy working, most likely the latter.

"_Witty comments are *NOT* science,_" she finally announced, causing a small chortle from me as I saw the new sign for the chamber light up on the wall closest to me. The signs that were lit up were a little different this time around—one showed a "prohibited" symbol over a stick human drinking out of a water fountain, and another showed a similar human struggling in what looked like acidic water. It only took me a moment to interpret the true meaning of these signs—the water was deadly to the touch, try to avoid it.

There was one other sign that caught the outer ring of my eyesight, though. It showed a human with what looked like spider limbs emerging from its back. At first I reasoned this was some kind of mutated abomination that I might have to face in combat, but the sign next to that one shattered that theory—_this_ image showed the same human walking on a wall just as well as he/she were walking on the solid ground. The theory became clear—this test chamber would allow me to walk like a spider across walls in order to get by pools of acidic water. Smiling at my knowledge, I proceeded past the sign and into a large, open room that was the main chamber.

This chamber contained what looked like a massive lake of the dangerous liquid, with only paneled walls otherwise inside. I currently stood on a small metal catwalk that had one end connected to one of the panels on the wall. But how to get onto the walls—I couldn't see the supposed device that could help me do so close to my location. My eyes squinted slightly as I silently scanned the room for the device; my left eye glowed slightly yellow as I did so. It was then that I saw, in the center of the chamber, on a field of panels creating a small square, was a pedestal that held a floating disk in some kind of power field. Three sharp metal claws contained the power field around the disk to prevent it from falling into the water around it. The direct proximity of the device to my current location made me frown in more worry than anger in order to figure out how to get there.

Then I facepalmed in obvious embarrassment—_duh_, I had a _portal device_ literally in my hands! How could I have forgotten that? Without further pause, I aimed my Multi-Purpose Glove at the wall connected to the catwalk and fired a blue portal. Then, turning my hand to the ceiling above, I was about to fire an orange portal when something that sounded like a train horn blared from the speakers in the chamber. My audio receptors began to scramble at the pure force of the sound, making me misfire my portal onto another part of the ceiling, a little bit off from the platform of panels in the center.

Instantly knowing what—or _who_—had caused the frequency blast, I glared at one of the many cameras in the chamber, which seemed to tilt at receiving my full focus.

"_I'm sorry,_" GlaDOS then spoke with mock surprise, "_I was merely testing the theory that people with more guilty consciousnesses are more affected by loud noises than other humans._" My glare did not change for a few seconds before I relaxed my tensed muscles and realigned my Multi-Purpose Glove at the correct spot, the portal appearing at the right place this time. I then slipped through the blue portal next to me and fell down the orange portal onto the small platform with a mild _thump_.

As soon as I landed, the three claws that contained the power field began to retract back into the pedestal. I quickly grabbed the disk before the disk fell into the water below the platform. I felt the disk humming with power as I got a close look at it—the disk showed the white Aperture logo on the top of its gray color. The disk fit snugly in the palm of my hand, almost allowing me to close my hand around it to conceal it from sight.

"_Fantastic,_" GlaDOS spoke, "_You have succeeded at the challenges put before you to gain the first of many Aperture Science Specific Function Disks. These special devices are compatible with the Aperture Science Function Power Source, which is located on the center of your jumpsuit._"

I then looked down at my jumpsuit to see the Aperture logo appear on the very front, and then the parts of the logo silently opened up, revealing inserts for what seemed like the disk. A look at the back of the disk confirmed this theory—the disk itself had many inserts designed to lock onto the inserts on the jumpsuit.

"_Please place the current Aperture Science Specific Function Disk in the insert provided,_" GlaDOS continued to explain,_ "When the function is applied, you will be able to activate the function's power._" I complied quickly, placing the inserts on the disk into the inserts of my jumpsuit; a series of _clicks_ indicated the placement was successful.

At that moment, my vision blurred as countless equations and computer codes flashed behind my eyelids. I felt my body start to shift and change as my eyes saw diagrams of four different metallic spider legs attached to a human's back and walking as normal as if the legs were not there at all. In a few seconds, it was done. Blinking my eyes quickly to get my vision back, I felt a strange weight on my backside that wasn't there before. I looked down, and saw my feet were a few feet in the air above the paneled platform. I slightly jumped, startled by the sight, and instantly felt larger limbs moving with my own limb's reactions. Stumbling for a moment on the platform before aligning myself again, I looked at my arms and noticed large, silver spider-like limbs covering my arms and hands and reaching the panels below with a sharp tip. I lifted my left arm, and the limb lifted up as well; I put my arm back down to the ground, and I saw a small electric bolt reach from the limb to the panel before the limb held to the panel.

'_So,_' I thought to myself as I tested the other limbs, careful not to fall off the platform, '_the limbs use electromagnetic currents to 'attach' to the panels no matter where they are…_' Pleased at my deductive reasoning, I tensed my back legs—and limbs—and prepared to take a gamble. I felt adrenaline being absorbed from the vapor in the chamber, fueling my artificial—and blood-filled—muscles for what seemed, from my viewpoint, to be nearly impossible to achieve perfectly.

Taking one final moment of courage, I then leaped off the platform with all eight limbs going into the air. My backside almost touched the ceiling due to the power and height of the leap, but that was the least of my worries as I began to flail about in the air, trying to position myself for the best landing on the wall I leapt towards. The milliseconds clicked by as I felt the air whip by my many arms and legs and the natural force of gravity draw me down to the acid lake below. As the wall came within reach, I spread my artificial limbs out in a wide splay in order to gain the most space to grab on when I would hit the wall.

Moments later, I felt four sharp bursts of energy zip through my body as my artificial limbs attached to four separate panels around me. I held my position in fear of sliding down the wall, looking like the silhouette of a crime scene, the victim splayed out on the ground in a bizarre formation. When 5 seconds had passed and I had not slid anywhere, I relaxed…and felt myself instantly begin to slide down the wall! In blind panic, I lashed out with my new legs, holding myself in place again and hearing a slight _riiip_ as my metal limbs impaled themselves into the panels with huge force. I stared in surprise—was _this_ my new strength with these new limbs added to my own?

After taking a breath of energy and adrenaline, I began to slowly climb up the wall, putting one limb in front of the other, walking with the opposite back leg following behind. Pretty soon, I saw the small holes in the panels that I had left behind, and shuddered at the thought of what _she_ would do to me because I had damaged authorized testing material. It took me a few more moments of awkward movement to walk without stumbling every other step.

'_It seems these extra limbs require similar concentration to my own human limbs in order to be moved effectively,_' I thought to myself as I began to traverse quickly across the wall, my vision sideways as I tried to adapt to the change in gravity, '_I guess learning to use these extra legs effectively only comes with time._'

A few minutes later, after a few small slip-ups, I had made it to the other side of the massive chamber, not a single drop of acid water contacting my body. However, a couple of additional panels had holes in them due to my panicking and impaling said panels with extra strength. Now one more obstacle lay before me…getting back down onto the catwalk adjacent to me at normal gravity level without falling down. As I looked at the area surrounding the catwalk, I found that the surfaces on the panels all around the structure were portal-proof—implying that I had to use the spider-limb function…or whatever this thing is called, to get across the acid lake. Shaking my head at the simplicity of the theory and to why I had not realized it before, I quickly released my hold on my spider limbs, causing my body to fall off the wall towards the catwalk. Only through instinct was I able to flip my body around in midair so that my metal and human limbs faced the correct direction. With a resounding _crash_ I landed—or more likely _slammed_—onto the catwalk, making the structure shake with obvious strain and sending multiple signals of pain from my own body, as well as having the wind knocked out of me for a few moments.

As I lay there, attempting to recover from the jarring experience, I heard _her_ voice filter through the speakers inside the chamber.

"_It seems you are doing well with the Aperture Science Spider-Limb Function,_" she announced, "_But your dexterity needs immediate attention before any other chambers should be completed. You are not authorized to destroy authentic testing materials, and that DOES include the millions of testing panels that I have on standby for these chambers to replace the ones you have just damaged. I hope you're happy with your accomplishments._" I _thought_ she would be more pleased at these testing purposes.

'_Cut me some slack, will you,_' I thought to myself as I slowly got up slowly and with great care, '_I'm trying my best to control four additional legs. Why don't YOU try it and see how you feel afterwards?_' Of course, I did not say this out loud, for obvious reasons. I then advanced towards the Emancipation Grid, the field turning white like before as I came closer until it became a solid screen when I was adjacent to it. As I wondered where the speaker box was, a sudden _hiss_ drew my attention to the floor, where I suddenly found multiple mechanical claws reaching for my chest and arms.

Panicking, I started to lash out with my additional limbs…but I couldn't move my body at all! Was I in some kind of stasis field? Whatever the reason, I could not stop my heart from pounding as the claws reached into my chest and carefully, painlessly, pulled out the function disk inside. As soon as the disk left my body I felt my new limbs become unresponsive and frozen in place, only to be removed from my back by more limbs coming from the ceiling. I could also feel the inserts on my chest disappear back into my body—it felt like I was in some kind of experimental surgery process. The entire process took only a few moments to complete. The Multi-Purpose Glove was never removed, however. Perhaps this implied an element of trust?

With some relief and regret at loosing the extra limbs, I stepped to the now-revealed speaker box.

"Code 434-576; Aperture Science Spider-Limb Function" I spoke into the receiver of the box, and the Emancipation Grid immediately turned back to normal, the speaker box returning to the wall.

"_Congratulations,_" GlaDOS spoke through the panels as I turned to enter the grid, "_You are well on the way to mastering the many new developments I have made for future Aperture Science testing subjects. Please return to the main chamber in order to fill out an Aperture Science Testing Function Evaluation Form before proceeding to the next testing area._"

'_Evaluation form?_' I thought with a smirk of wonder, '_I didn't know she would be THAT interested about these new functions._' With a smirk, I calmly stepped through the grid towards the elevator…and froze in place just above the stairs. I felt a familiar surge of pain as my vision went white once again and my body began to fall down…

_A woman with black hair and wearing a white tank top with the Aperture Science logo holding the older Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device being lead across multiple catwalks beyond GlaDOS's cameras by a Personality Core with a glowing sky-blue eye and multiple burns across its metal body traveling along a Management Rail. The Personality Core is speaking constantly while he travels on his rail, while the woman is the exact opposite, saying nothing at all in the conversation, seemingly more concentrated on the pathway ahead then what the construct is saying. The construct suddenly turns one direction with the muttering of "Alright, I am absolutely, 100% sure this is the right way." A moment later, however, he comes out again with the words "OK, its not this way" making the woman roll her eyes in obvious anger and frustration. _

_Just then the vision seems to waver and flicker as if someone were shifting the frequency of a television channel, and a new scene appears: This one shows the woman observing a massive pipe with multiple smaller pipes connecting all around the empty area. A sign nearby says "Neurotoxin Pumping Facility", and the core from before is inside an adjacent room muttering about hacking a computer mainframe while not doing anything in general. The woman then races outside a door and opens a portal onto a Thermal Discouragement Beam striking a hanging panel, races back into the observation area and shoots the other portal onto a set of panels traveling on conveyor belts just above a large set of pipes connected to the generator. The lasers begin to slice through the pipes like butter as the core begins to shout out that the neurotoxin levels are dropping._

_Another flicker occurs and the scene shifts to what looks like later on as the core is nowhere to be seen. The woman shoots a portal into what looks like a flashing panel as well as adjacent to her. As she slips through the portal, she finds herself in a large paneled room, except the roof is many feet above the rest of the room. The woman looks around the three remaining walls and sees a door on one of them. As she steps closer the door has a label which reads "GlaDOS Emergency-Shut-Down and Cake-Dispensing Facility: KEEP UNLOCKED" The woman, with surprise and caution on her face tugs the handle…only to have the door fall forward to reveal a blank wall, the panels suddenly surging to life and looking at her as if they were living. _

_"I HONSETLY, TRULY didn't think you would fall for that," GlaDOS's voice speaks with much amusement as the walls begin to move forward around her captive… _

I awoke with a gasp of air and to the feeling of pain in my lower body. Looking upward, I found I had fallen down the stairs and had possibly lain on the floor as I had seen the vision. But WHAT a vision—it only lasted for a few seconds and already close to a million questions had been lodged into my data banks for future reference. I slowly stood up, shaking with fear and worry, and entered the awaiting elevator.

It seems GlaDOS has not been telling me _everything_ that happened in the past. It seemed like I would have to find my own answers, whether _she_ wanted me to or not...

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**Well, that's that! Please Read, Review, Follow and Favorite (you know, the usual things you do here :)**

**If you have any ideas for future chapters, please post them in a review. I will list the names of people who's ideas I use. **

**Draconos is taking off!**


	8. Chapter 7: Guns, Ghosts and Signs

**SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY FOR BEING SO LATE ON UPDATES! (Lies on hands and knees before viewers and grovels before them) **

**Anyway, here's the next chapter-quite late to come, I might add. Then again, many other things have been happening for me (school, choirs, camping, gaming, instrument-playing, WISDOM TEETH (shudder)...the list goes on and on.**

**I am surprised, however, that, during my long absence, over 700 people have viewed my story so far. I am quite amazed that this little idea of mine is getting so many reads!**

**Speaking of, the Function Disk that is used in this chapter comes from "Revan 3", who has been commenting on this story for a few chapters now. Thanks, Revan 3! A complimentary Victory Lift should be arriving sometime soon...**

**Onward to the Chapter!**

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A short while later, the elevator doors opened to reveal GlaDOS's main chamber, the said chassis looking at certain panels that had been revealed on the walls to my right…panels that showed videos of _my_ prior testing performances. I rolled my eyes at this sight as she turned at the sound of the elevator's arrival.

"_Well done, Test Subject,_" she spoke as she shifted her metallic body to face me, "_you have gained access to one of the many new functions I have prepared to advance the power of Aperture Science. How do you feel?_" At this her optic seemed to narrow and her face shifted slightly down, as if she were making a smug face while waiting for my answer. It took me a few moments to clear my throat from the change in atmosphere before I could respond.

"I feel fine," I replied with a short smile, "thanks for asking. The Spider-Limb function was confusing at first, but it did not take me too long to get used to controlling it and using it as I desired." GlaDOS then nodded her head and turned herself back to the panel screens, seemingly thinking that was all.

"However…" I continued, and I visibly saw her pause in mid-movement as she waited for further words, "…I believe you are not telling me _everything_ I need to know about these tests."

"_Really?_" GlaDOS replied with irritation in her voice as she moved completely to the panel screens, "_Do you REALLY think that I would keep anything from you?_"

Annoyed by her attitude towards me, I clenched my fists and was about to shout in anger, but quickly thought the better of it and stood down—I didn't want to receive another _punishment_ for my anger.

"It was just a thought," I said, but even that caused her to narrow her optic in obvious anger as she leaned closer to my face.

"_Are you saying you do not wish to continue testing?_" she asked, obviously wanting to get this problem settled as quickly as possible.

Unable to fully argue against this massive machine, I broke contact with her optic and stared at the set of gray panels below me, thinking words that I would not dare say before her.

"_If you wish to continue with this attitude,_" GlaDOS then spoke, her voice suddenly shifting to the motherly tone I had heard before, "_Then there will be…SERIOUS…consequences dealt to you—and to me as well._" My eyes shot up at her from the panel floor as I processed this information. What did she mean…consequences to her as well? Was she _that _concerned about me, or was she more concerned about having a subject for the functions she built?

Silence overtook the both of us for a long few minutes, until I broke it by nodding my head at GlaDOS and went to the still-open elevator doors, heading to the next chamber.

As the elevator rumbled downward, I felt quite strange about what had just occurred. I understood that GlaDOS had saved me from death by human hands, but was it all just so she could have a guinea pig for her new functions? Maybe she just loved to put people through tests? Or was it something else entirely, something I knew had not been told to me yet? All these questions flew around inside my head as the elevator doors opened again, this time to reveal a simple hallway of non-portable surfaces leading to a larger chamber. As I walked through the hallway, the classic white sign lit up to my left, revealing the chamber's contents. As I studied it with a half-thought, I saw what looked like a human being shot by some sort of turret, another sign showing a human _walking through_ the turret's bullets, as well as a human walking through a panel wall. Intrigued at what I would discover, I quickly ran to the larger chamber—and stopped dead as I saw a red beam aiming right at my chest plate, the child-like words "_Target acquired_" breaking the silence of the chamber.

At that moment, my body acted faster than my brain, and I leaped further into the chamber to avoid the beam, just as the sound of machine gin fire shattered the chamber silence to pieces. Instinctively doing a forward roll to conserve momentum once my body hit the ground, I leaped back up and slipped behind a nearby wall, gasping in pain as I felt a bullet lodged in my human arm pierce the skin and draw blood. The smell of the freshly spilled life force made me slightly sick to my digestive systems but I drew in a deep breath to block the feeling of vomit lodging in my throat.

"_Where are my manners these days_" GlaDOS then spoke, to my surprise and worry, "_I forgot to introduce you to one of the few other sentient life form you will encounter in the chambers—the Sentry Turret. These machines are designed to shoot at anything that approaches them. Do try to be careful around their bullets."_ I swear, if GlaDOS had a mouth, she would be smirking right now if she had seen what had just happened. Shaking my head to clear my vision, I stood up and took a few deep breaths before stepping around the wall again.

It was then that I saw the turret for what it was—the machine stood on three metallic legs in what seemed like a tripod position, the shining white, cylindrical body doing little to hide the scary red eye in the center of the body, the laser beam pointing straight forward down the chamber. I registered all of this in an instant as two plates on the turret's sides opened up when the beam registered my presence, revealing twin machine guns implanted between the plates. Diving to the side again, this time I was able to avoid the stream of bullets that flew toward my body, and I now slipped forward to another wall just beside the passage containing the turret. As I breathed in fresh air—and adrenaline vapor—I wondered how I would get pass that thing. It seemed to register my presence the moment that I stepped into its line of fire, and I did not want to have multiple bullets in my body by the time I exited this chamber. Risking another quick look, and almost getting a bullet in my face because of it, it was then that I saw the turret was standing on a portable floor, and the wall I was standing against was also portable. Thinking for a few moments, the idea hit me: move the turret out of the way with portals.

Putting the idea into action, I shot a blue portal at the wall in front of me. That part done, I counted for three seconds and stepped out into the turret's sight, launching an orange portal with little precision. The portal landed slightly behind its mark, though, and for a moment I feared that nothing had happened. Then, with a slow tilt, the turret fell backwards into the opened portal and landed on its side, the eye facing me again as the turret suddenly began to fire wildly, hailing bullets at me again with no time to block. I don't recall myself screaming like a little girl as I raised my metal and human arms as shields and felt the bullets pounding into or bouncing off of them, but I _did_ recall the turret's final words as its eye turned lost its color: "_I don't blame you…"_

'I don't blame you…' What the heck was that supposed to mean? Before I could comprehend this new event, however, _she_ began to speak again.

"_Excellent work,_" she announced one of the cameras in the chamber tilting slightly as the words were spoken in order to direct my gaze towards it, "_you have successfully learned how to use your portals to defeat the Sentry Turrets. However, there is another, more practical method that you will be testing with—please head to the next chamber to receive your second Function Disk._" As she finished, a door to the far left of the chamber, beyond where the sentry turret once stood, opened up and revealed another passageway of non-portable surfaces. Not wasting any time to question this action, I raced toward the door…

_and instantly felt her feet leave the ground from stepping onto a seemingly rigged Faith Plate, Potato GlaDOS screaming with surprise at the sudden change in gravity…_

as I stumbled forward, trying to keep myself from falling while my blood pounded in my…

_ears that were whistling with the force of the wind around her as her body was suddenly caught in an Excursion Funnel, everything going quiet as the beam pushed her forward… _

sprawling onto the ground, barely feeling the pain registering itself through my body as my eyelids flickered as if I was having a mental breakdown…

_"I'm being serious," Potato GlaDOS finished as the funnel drew to its final destination, "I think there's something REALLY wrong with me!"…_

'_What's wrong with ME?'_ I thought as my vision began to fade and turn to black. Focusing all of energy into ignoring these strange flashes and getting on my feet, I slowly stood up, my right hand pushing hard against the non-portable wall beside me, the flashes now dissolving into what seemed like some kind of subliminal display of images and clips. Very quickly, however, this kaleidoscope faded until one thing was left…

A human-like face with bright yellow eyes and the expression of a slightly insane person stared back at me, its silver skin reflecting some unseen light right into my eyes. Two cores, held by a ponytail on either side of her head, glowed yellow and red before spinning around to reveal dark blue and purple cores on the other side. The face's expression never changed during this time and the eyes never left my own…until it's mouth opened and it spoke with the same voice as GlaDOS in her husky tone, but with a touch of humanity my audio sensors easily detected.

"_All your questions will be answered in time, Test Subject_," it said, "_You do not need to worry about that now. Focus on staying alive and sane…which will become harder as time goes on. Do not fear, though—I will guide you through the process of becoming Aperture Science's greatest creation. Now…wake up!" _At those words the face before me suddenly seemed to stretch backwards until it completely vanished into a growing white hole that was dragging me in as well…

My eyes opened, and a headache was the only response I got. Groaning heavily, I felt around me, discovering I had somehow been standing in the same spot that entire time, my right hand still pressed against the wall—or was it _holding_? I suddenly detected handholds that were not in the wall before I had touched it. Quickly snapping my hand back, I looked over and discovered, somehow, I had _crunched part of the wall in my hand!_ I easily saw five new finger holes in the wall that were shaped in the way a curled fist crunches a fragile object into dust. Was _this_ the limit of my augmented strength, or was there still more power I had not yet unleashed? What had _she_ done to me to make me this strong? Shoving the thoughts out of my mind, I focused my thoughts on my main objective—getting to and using the next Function Disk.

I finally made it into the next chamber hall, GlaDOS remaining silent for some reason—had she not seen what had happened just then, or was she focused on some other sort of goal while that…_whatever_ that was had occurred? Putting the question aside for future reference, I approached the center of the four-walled chamber around me, seeing a light brown function disk attacked to the same type of pedestal from before. Quickly reaching the pedestal and grabbing disk off of it, I was just about to attach the disk to the chest plate when, without warning, four giant panel walls rose in place immediately around me from the floor, trapping me inside like a rat with only the ceiling to see. Panicked, I quickly looked for a way around, but found none—these walls were non-portable, so I couldn't use the ceiling above me for a way out either. I also heard a lot of grinding and shifting outside, though the obstacles directly around me heavily muted the sound. I began to worry—had GlaDOS done this on _purpose_?

"_If you are wondering whether the placing of these walls was accidental or intentional,_" _she_ then spoke,"_it was, without a doubt, intentional. This supposed "trap" is designed to aid you in using the Function Disk you currently posses._" GlaDOS's message did nothing to reduce my confusion, but, after a couple more seconds of staring and realizing there was no other way out, I chose to believe what she had said. Placing the Function Disk into the chest plate, I felt my vision blur again as the countless numbers from before flashed once more, a diagram in the center showing a human morph into some kind of wavy, immaterial being. The being then was shown phasing through a wall and being able to walk through turret bullets without taking hits.

Milliseconds later, it was done. I did not feel different, but as I looked at my arms, I saw I _looked_ different. My arms seemed to be transparent, my eyes only seeing a bright silhouette of the entire limb. A quick glance around the rest of my body revealed a similar fate had happened everywhere else. Thinking back onto the diagram that I had just seen, I stared closely at the wall in front of me, trying to remember exactly what the diagram had shown to get through the wall. To my surprise, the panels in front of me suddenly turned into what seemed like a grid-by-grid layout, each individual piece viewable to my eye. I touched the wall and felt the individual pieces spread out to accommodate the presence of my fingers, the wall itself feeling like a gelatinous putty that I could mold to my will. Snapping my hand back in worry, I took another deep breath, closed my eyes…and stepped into the wall, feeling my whole body being bathed in the panel's molecular structure.

Moments later, I felt a familiar rush of cold air from the air pumps in the chamber. Opening my eyes, I found I was outside the wall-trap and standing on an even set of panels—with another set of non-portable walls on either side of me, leading outward and to the left. Hadn't I just come _out_ of this? Looking around once more, I noticed a strange placement in the walls around me—it looked like they had been arranged in order to lead me down this path, like I was a rat in a large maze trying to escape.

Not wanting to hear _her_ voice confuse me with some sort of coded message, I quickly walked down the path set for me, only to stop as I felt…_something_…tug at me in another direction. I looked to my right but saw nothing in the direction of the pull except for a non-portable wall. Shuddering slightly as I wondered whether I was going crazy with worry, I raced back down the set path, ignoring the tug grow stronger as I jumped around the corner…

And right into two turret's line of fire! Having no time to react to this attack, I could only watch as the bullets streaked towards my body. I shielded myself in vain with my arms, anticipating multiple metal objects piercing my skin.

Seconds ticked by and the turrets continued to fire at me, but I felt no pain register in my body. I kept myself tightly shielded, however, fearing that the pain would come later rather than sooner. After what felt like forever but was actually only about 20 seconds, I registered _clicks_ from the turrets instead of _bangs_, which lead me to think that the machines had run out of bullets. A quick peek with my metallic eye confirmed this—the turrets were waving their beams around like they were having a fit, their guns out but not firing anything. Lowering my arms in surprise, I looked down at my body to see not a single bullet lodged in my chest cavity or my legs. The bullets, instead, were all on the floor below me or on the wall behind me. Amazed by what had happened, I felt a surge of confidence rise within me—If this Function Disk could repel turret fire and go through panels, then I was almost invincible! Feeling like shouting out my defiance to the entire facility, I chose instead to keep calm and focus on getting out of this maze. Steeling my nerve, I approached the closet wall, knowing that the turrets would not fire at me, focused my vision again, and began to search for the exit.

After a _long_ time (I suspected hours or longer) of "phasing" through walls, avoiding strategically-placed turrets (of which I highly suspected _her_ involvement) and running into dead ends leading nowhere (even with my phasing ability I found some areas lead to false paths that went in circles), I was no closer to finding the exit than when I had first started. Phasing through yet another non-portable wall, I found myself back where I had first discovered my phasing power, the pedestal still standing where it was before, minus the Function Disk, and the walls that had previously imprisoned me having been retracted back into the floor at some point while I had been wandering. I was getting _really_ annoyed now, and just wanted to smash my way through the walls that imprisoned me—I had the augmented strength to do so, so why not try it?

It was then that I noticed the tug, just the same as it was before, pulling me toward that one spot in the wall I now faced, the same as before. At this point, I was just about to break this labyrinth down into tiny pieces with my augmented fists out of anger so this time, instead of rejecting the tug, I listened to it. As soon as I did so, I felt my feet shift beyond my control towards the wall. Fearing the worst, I felt the Function Disk activate its powers without my permission, almost as if something else were controlling its power from an external server. I felt myself slide through the wall, appearing on the other side unharmed. My vision quickly adjusted back to normal as the Disk's power deactivated, and I saw the Emancipation Grid right before my face, the solid white form a joyous sight to my very sore human—and mechanical—eyes. I immediately began to laugh out loud, extremely happy to have escaped this labyrinth, and continued to do so with no sign of stopping. I judge _she_ heard everything and was wondering exactly what I had gone through.

Recovering from my laughing fit and wiping a tear from my human eye after a short while, I went to the speaker box adjacent to the grid and opened it.

"Code 579-834: Aperture Science Phase Suit," I spoke into the box, and the speaker retracted back into the wall as the grid turned to its normal blue. Smiling, I was just about to slip through the grid when _she_ spoke again.

"_Fantastic job,_" she said, "_With practice, you have learned to effectively use the Aperture Science Phase Suit in a testing environment. Please return to the main chamber for your next assignment._" Not loosing my smile, I strode through the grid…and felt nothing at all assault my senses, except for the Function Disk currently in my chest plate deactivating completely and loosening itself slightly for easy retrieval.

Stopping in surprise and worry on the top of a set of steps leading to the open elevator, I wondered how this vision theory work—did it happen whenever it wanted or was there a pattern to the vision's arrival? Were the visions composed of random things or were they trying to tell me something? Was GlaDOS the one behind these visions or was someone else—perhaps that woman that I had been seeing—living in this place and trying to contact me without _her_ knowing? These questions spun around in my mind like dancers on ice as I headed to the elevator, the Function Disk shining brown as the Multi-Purpose glove closed itself around it.

Just as the elevator was about to ascend, a flash of light hit my human eye's cornea. Squinting in pain, I directed my vision to the source of the harmful light and saw a strange mark on one of the walls right outside the elevator. It looked like the Aperture Laboratories mark, but the many pieces were, instead of facing inwards in a circle form, all pointing to the left, the pieces on the right flattened against a circular base while the pieces on the left pointed straight back. The whole effect looked like some kind of head-like structure. I did not have time to study the mark any more closely because the elevator ascended at that very moment. Even so, I mentally archived the sign—I felt a pang in my stomach that I would see that sign again very soon…

* * *

**(Types final words onto story, then slams finger down onto last key and slumps heavily into chair, wiping sweat from brow)**

**Well, there you go. Hope you R&R, and enjoy! Remember, I will accept ideas from readers who want to contribute-just post your idea in a review of this chapter. I, as before, will mention the name(s) of whomever's ideas I use.**

**Draconos is taking off!**


	9. Chapter 8: Paralyzing Paranoia (Part 1)

**Hello all. Under threat of neurotoxin(from you know who...) and many events upcoming (like EXAMS...ugh), I have chosen to split this chapter into 2 separate parts. I apologize for anyone who is upset by this decision, but I feel I need to set up SOMETHING for you all, since I have been receiving messages about when an update will occur. **

**For user suggestions, Revan 3 has suggested the next Function Disk (thanks!). However, due to the split in this chapter, the disk will most likely come in the 2nd part. Do not fret, though; it will happen soon.**

**Onward to the Chapter (Part 1, that is)...**

* * *

After a short rest in the elevator, the doors opened to reveal GlaDOS's main chamber once again, the chassis, once again, looking at shots of my performance in the labyrinth. Now I was _sure_ she had something to do with it. Shaking my head and hoping this habit does not catch on, I stepped forward into the chamber, GlaDOS once again turning around to notice my presence.

"_Good job,_" she said with half-regarded interest as she fully faced me, her optic tilting down slightly to fully regard my presence.

"_Once again, Test Subject,_" her artificial voice said as I approached the center of the chamber, "_you continue to exceed the expectations set before you. I am most pleased with your progress._" As she said this, a claw descended form the ceiling, reaching for the Phase Suit Function Disk my glove held.

"Thanks," I said without much of a smile as I absentmindedly handed the disk to the claw, the tips expertly grabbing it as the device retracted to wherever it came from, "but I did NOT like the maze that you put me into. I swear," I continued, clenching my fists as I recalled the emotions I had felt, "I was just about ready to tear the those walls down to their atomic levels in order to let me out."

Instead of acting concerned, as I had predicted, GlaDOS's tone instead turned harsh as she countered my statement with the words "_Then make sure you do not cause any MORE damage to this facility—repairing things is costly, and paying little pieces of green paper with barcodes and pictures of archaic figures on them is most certainly *NOT* science._" She then quickly turned back the panel screen, a slight _creak_ from her joints indicating her sharp movement. Surprised and worried, I quickly backed down from a confrontation.

At that moment I felt a sudden wave of lethargy sweep over me, making me slightly loose my balance as my vision began to dim. Trying to stay on my own two feet and not look to _her_ like I had lost my nerve, I slammed my feet onto the panel below me, my feet producing a sharp _scrrrtch_ as the talons clenched involuntarily onto the paneled floor. Of course _she_ had to hear the sound, and she turned back around to face me on full, my body fliching as I feard what she would do to me.

"_Are you…tired, Test Subject?_" The question seemed concerning and caring, but I suspected trouble if I said I was, so I kept my mouth shut, letting my gaze do all the talking. We stared at each other for a few seconds like this, until my vision just had to dim out again, forcing me to blink heavily. This alone was enough for GlaDOS to catch on, and she reared back in slight surprise as I shook my head violently in order to clear out the drowsiness, my face contorted in anger as I mentally chastised myself for giving my position away so easily.

"_You do not need to hide your feelings from me, Test Subject,_" GlaDOS then spoke in her motherly tone, her body shifting closer to my own until her faceplate was almost touching my human facial skin, "_Remember, I know more about you then any other being on this planet._"

Slightly freaked out by this comment and hoping to shift the train of speech, I shifted back a few feet before pointing a finger at the machine in front of my vision.

"Just because you know more about me does not grant you complete control over my actions," I announced, "I am still partially human, which grants me the choices humans would have."

"_Ah, this is true,_" GlaDOS countered, "_but what is humanity leading itself to right now? Nothing but destruction and extinction of their own kind—do you really think these creatures would be good role models to make choices from?_" Knowing she was correct no matter what I said, she then rose further up to the ceiling before she spoke again.

"_I will grant you a period of resting time to allow you to recover from your…obvious lethargy…_" At this my emotions peaked—was GlaDOS really going to pause testing for me to recover?

"_…AFTER you complete the next test._"

My heart sank. Was this machine going to give me ANY chance of recovery, or was I to be worked until I was ground into scrap metal and human body parts from sheer exhaustion? Growling my anger as I headed back to the elevator, the lethargy not helping as my vision reduced itself to about 80% of its normal sight level, I felt a spark of anger emerge in my human emotions—I briefly wondered what caused this, but the descending elevator removed this thought from my mind for now.

As the elevator doors opened I felt a sudden rush of cold air hit my body, temperature senses in my body automatically detecting the change as I began to shiver, my lethargy slightly increasing because of the exerted energy. Looking around the small passageway before me, I detected a few vents that were blasting the cold air at me—most likely _her_ design, I was sure. Moving through the vents and shivering all the more because of it, I slipped through a door at the end of the chamber into a real testing chamber—this chamber had the Weighted Storage Cube and Super Colliding Super Button in plain sight, as well as the same electronic sign from before keeping the door locked. As if to add on to what I was able to see, the white information sign directly to my right suddenly burst into light with a bright flash, causing me to cover both my human and mechanical eyes with haste, a small shout of surprise emerging from my throat as spots and stars danced behind my angle of vision. When my sight cleared, I saw the signs of the cube and the Super Button, but there were some other signs of interest; one showed a human being slammed together by what looked like spiked metal plates with only an arm marking the human was even there, as well as a human dashing across a gel-like substance at a superhuman speed.

Moving away from the sign, I quickly grabbed the Weighted Cube and put it onto the button. The chime from before sounded, but the doors didn't open immediately. Narrowing my eyes, I quickly looked around me to see if there was anything blocking the doors, only to see the doors suddenly open with a _hiss_, and then shut almost instantly, only to open again and close again as if the doors were having a panic attack. Bewildered at first, I soon realized that I would have to time the door's opening in order to get through. Moving forward to just in front of the wacked-out door, I tensed my limbs as I focused my vision on the rate the metal pieces slammed together, time seeming to slow down around me as I deadened all other sounds of the chamber, even _her_ voice asking what I was doing barely reaching my audio receptors.

Just as the doors were their farthest apart, I released the stored tension and sprung forward, my body feeling nothing but air rushing along it as I leapt completely through the doorway, sprawling onto the ground with a mild _thump_. Drawing in a heavy breath as the world rushed back to me, I quickly looked back to see…the doors remaining completely open and not moving. What's more, it looked like they had not moved at all for the entire duration of my jump. I growled to myself in deep anger—_she_ held the door open on purpose just to see me take a spill for her amusement! Curling a fist, I slammed it down onto an adjacent floor panel, the resounding _crack_ of the panel snapping in two resonating around the chamber and rebounding in my ears twice as strong, but I didn't flinch, my anger being so strong. It took a few seconds for the pain to register in my brain, and I quickly cradled my hand when it did hit, a slight hiss escaping my lips as I did so.

"_Exactly what logical reason were you thinking in your primitive brain that made you believe breaking a licensed Aperture Science Testing Panel was appropriate?_" GlaDOS's question drew me out of my rage quickly—why _had_ I done that? I knew that it would hurt, but it felt so…_good_…to do at that moment.

'_Besides,_' I thought as I looked around the hundreds of similar panels, '_It doesn't look like there was anything ELSE I could take out my anger on…_'

"**Except for ****_HER…_**"

Whoa, _WHAT?_ I didn't think that! That voice wasn't even mine—it sounded much more like GlaDOS, but without the metallic tone, instead sounding like someone silkily whispering into my ear, except that there was no one next to me.

"**Come on…you've thought of it, haven't you? Haven't you felt your anger curdling within your very bloodstream every time you hear ****_HER _****voice?**"

Well…I have had angry thoughts of her, but to _kill_ her…

"**Come now, you have enhanced sight, strength, speed and control over many powerful Functions. It would be so easy to just go up to her and rip her chassis right out of its support cables, while her screaming metallic voice reaches octaves higher then the human ear's registering with pain.**"

OK, whoever or whatever this thing was, it had a _very_ strong taste in making others suffer. But _where_ was this thing coming from? Looking around once again at all the identical panels before me, I saw nothing that looked like something was speaking to me or even projecting a message. Seeing nothing made me begin to hyperventilate—was this in my own _mind_? Was I hearing another voice in my head—my dark side, perhaps, come out to seduce me with imagery of death and destruction? Gripping my head with both hands didn't help me at all, as now the whispers of many different voices talking of _her_ began to wash through my mind, each voice competing for dominance over all the others.

"_…the likelihood of this plan succeeding against HER is 0.01%..._"

"_…lady in metal not want me to go to space?..._"

"…_dang, woman, you look gorgeous in that metal armor of yours_…"

"…_WHO ARE YOU? WHY AM I ATTACHED TO YOU LIKE THIS?_..."

"…_3.75 ounces chocolate-covered metallic plates with strawberries on top_.."

"…_GRRARARARABRABRALAHRARAGLEBL AGRLE_…."

"…_Who told you to put this on me! Was it HER?_..."

"**…Seriously, just imagine it…****_SHE_**** would be in SO MUCH PAIN…**"

"…_Test Subject, what do you think you are doing just standing there like that?_

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU GET THE HELL OUT OF MY MIND!" Randomly lashing and stomping at anything my body had contact with, I felt several floor panels and a couple of wall panels being shattered under my fists and feet, my own voice adding to the voices in a wordless scream of anger and pain. I knew of nothing but the thought that the voices _must get out of my head_, and I felt no pain as I shattered the panels around me with barbaric strength. I felt my body shifting and sliding with what felt like faster speed then normal, my talon feet producing small sparks as they slid across the metal panels.

Seconds later, electrical energy surged across my body, much stronger than the previous time. Sensors in my skin sensed pain for the first time, my scream of rage turned into a short cry of pain before my body halted mid-punch, every joint, both human and mechanical, frozen in place as if cryogenically stored. I stood like this for a few moments, and then, slowly, my body began to fall to the ground, my limbs loosing their strength as the waves of lethargy from before hit me with almost 10 times as much force. My human eye slammed shut as I felt my body hit the surprisingly soft and comfortable ground of shattered panels. All senses around me began to fade as I fell into a sleep cycle, but one voice still spoke strong just before I fell unconscious…

"**Damn you GlaDOS…I'll get you yet! As Caroline is my witness, I will give you the pain you deserve!**"

_The woman closed the monitor screen on her arm that was connected to a camera she had hacked in the chamber, the grin of an insane killer plastered onto her face as the red core and blue core on either side of her head glowed with bright light._

_It was working much faster then she had reasoned—the subject was already experiencing paranoia and hallucinations. The fact that the subject tried to resist meant nothing to her—she knew that the subject's mind would fall eventually. _

_Everything was going according to plan… _

* * *

**Well, I hope that's a good dose of paranoia for you. Who's the true villain? Will our character regain his mind, or will he loose it forever to this darkness? Will he kill GlaDOS or protect her? **

**I leave these questions for you to digest over for now. Stay tuned for Part 2!**

**Draconos is taking off! **


	10. Chapter 9: Transform the Truth (Part 2)

**Hey all! Here's the next part of Chapter 8! I guess there WAS time for me to post something new for you all! Be pleased with me!**

**Anyway, I think this chapter can be a major turning point for the story...look at it and tell me what you think.**

**Also, HUGE DISCLAIMER! I do not own Portal, Portal 2, Valve...you know the drill. I DO, however, own my O.C., Carthage.**

**Now then, onto the chapter!**

* * *

_Initializing…_

_…_

_Running diagnostics check… _

_…_

_Check complete…_

_…_

_Physical strength; 80%_

_Mental strength; 50%_

_Lethargic State: Erased_

_…_

_WARNING: Virus Detected. Mental clarity reduced to 20%. _

_Recovery process initiated—estimated time…2.5 hours until full recovery. Mental Clarity Barriers activated—loyalties remain unchanged._

_…_

_ALERT: New Function Disk power detected—Reaction/Speed Enhancement Disk. Power added to archives…_

_…_

_Biological components now at full efficiency…_

_…_

_Mechanical components now at full efficiency…Multi-Purpose Glove at full strength and capability…_

_…_

_Initiating start-up sequence in 3…2…1…_

I woke up with a gasp, my upper body straightening upward as I drew in a breath before falling right back onto a metal slab leaning to the floor. Twisting my body, I found that my wrists and feet were bound to the slab by handcuffs that no amount of muscle stretching could break. Stopping my escape efforts, I looked around myself with my limited vision to see I was _not_ in GlaDOS's main chamber—rather, this place looked like a side-room connected to the chamber that could be closed off to form its own independent room. A bright light shone on my body and the slab, leaving the rest of the room in the familiar light-blue glow.

A sudden _whirr_ of machinery drew my vision upward as a set of small limbs with different machinery descended from the ceiling, each limb moving with serpentine precision. My body tensed as I wondered what these limbs were going to do to me, and it did not help that some of the limbs had lit blowtorches or syringes filled with…_something_ I didn't want to know. A few of the limbs with claws attached themselves around my chest plate as one of the blowtorches burned a circle mark around the center of the plate, the exact area where I would receive Function Disks. Upon completion of the mark, the claws then slipped _underneath_ the chest plate and gently pulled it out of my body, drawing it away as another set of claws emerged carrying a shiny new chest plate with what looked like additional armor around the center.

For some reason, I did not feel any pain during this procedure. Looking to my left on a whim, I found out why—one of the syringes had, when I wasn't looking, injected its contents into my bloodstream. Apparently the contents dulled any sort of pain dealt to the receiver, which was why I felt no pain on contact with the blowtorch. The offending object released itself from my skin just as I looked at it, with, once again, no pain being sent to my processers. It did feel annoying to discover that I had been poked and prodded without my prior acceptance.

I then felt a pressing sensation on my chest, and turned back to find the claws from before gently sliding the new chest plate into place, the blow torch changing from a red flame to a white flame as it slowly sealed the plate onto the surrounding metal plates. The procedure complete, the metal limbs retreated from wherever they came just as a row of panels on my left opened up and two figures entered the room, one glowing orange and the other blue. The panel wall closed as soon as the two were completely in the room. After entering the angle of light surrounding the slab I was held on, I quickly recognized them as the two robots that had saved me from death as a human, but I did not know their names. Both robots held modified versions of the Handheld Portal Device, each having colors matching their glowing "eyes". The two robots stared at me for a few seconds before the orange one waved its right hand and squeaked in its own language, its eye showing a happy gesture.

_Audio frequency code activated…changing audio reception…_

As soon as the robot finished squeaking, I felt a shifting sensation occur in my eardrums—it felt like something was changing inside of them. Unable to clutch my ears from the feeling due to the bonds holding me down, I writhed slightly against my bonds from the pain, which caused the two robots to quickly step back in surprise, the orange one covering its eye with its free hand while the blue one raised both of its hands in a gesture of surrender.

When the pain had completely receded, I was left heavily breathing on the slab, my wrists and ankles slightly raw from my thrashing. As I slowly recovered, I heard the two robots speaking in the background—but this time I could understand them.

"What's happened to him?" the blue one asked the orange one, to which the reply was "You tell me, I don't know a thing about these kinds of robotics."

"We should probably inform GlaDOS that he's awake now," the blue one said with a quick glance at me that I was able to see out of the corner of my vision, "She will be pleased to know her efforts were not in vain."

"Yeah, sure Atlas," the yellow one responded with what seemed like a sigh, "But I hope he's not injured or anything—I would hate to see a poor, innocent soul like his influenced by what has happened to him."

"There you go again, P-Body," the blue one said to…P-Body…with a shake of its head and an almost human-like face-palm, "You always show too much compassion to the test subjects, and this results in them mostly loosing their cool in the face of testing." My ears perked up at this—test subjects lost their cool during testing because of _compassion_? How was that possible—logic dictates that feelings of compassion is supposed to calm people down and keep them thinking straight in situations, so why did…Atlas…say what he did? Narrowing my eyes at the pair, I remained silent for now but listened with keen interest—the two robots did not seem to notice my looking at them as they spoke further.

"How can you say such things, Atlas?" P-Body countered with what looked like horror on its cylindrical face, "The human emotion can change rapidly and unpredictably, so it needs compassion in order for it to remain in one state. Without compassion, humans are destructive beings who only desire personal fame and wealth."

"Well, of course," Atlas responded with a shake of it's circular head, "but the testing subjects in here will always have a state of paranoia and fear of this place no matter how much compassion they receive from you. Do you even think about how much fear GlaDOS can put into a human's brain through her words alone?"

"I understand that GlaDOS does completely control Aperture Science and the lives of the testing subjects within it," P-Body said with a pressing tone, "but there is always a shard of hope in every human's heart. If that piece of hope wasn't there, they probably wouldn't be humans anymore."

What the heck was I hearing here!? Were these two mechanical creations speaking about human emotions and human feelings as if they themselves were humans? How did they know so much information about humans—did GlaDOS teach it to them or did they somehow learn it themselves? It boggled my mental processers to hear this kind of talk, and I felt like I probably would have been better off _not_ hearing them speak like this in the first place. Just when I was about to speak out and ask exactly what the _heck_ they were trying to say, the panel wall split apart again as the two robots left, still discussing human emotions and their opposing viewpoints on the topic. The wall closed shortly after they left, leaving nothing for me to see.

Now that they were gone, I focused on the bonds that still held me down onto the slab. Twisting my wrists again, I felt the clasps press down and restrain me all the more—the more I twisted, the more the clasps pressed. It seemed hopeless…

"**Let me help you…**"

Oh no…not _that_ voice again! Ignoring its words, I began to thrash all the more, feeling my human skin begin to grow raw with pain from extended contact.

"**It's not going to work that way…**"

Not listening, not listening…just keep trying, it'll work eventually, just keep trying…

"**Alright, that's it, I'm taking over!**"

At those words I felt a surge of energy in each of my fingers. Looking at the limbs, my eyes widened as I saw my fingers transform into _bone-like silver claws_! My new limbs extended and curled to impossible lengths, quickly entering the locking mechanism of each clasp on my hands and, like master thieves, picking the locks open. As the clasps fell off the claws flowed further outward like tentacles while still retaining its original shape, reaching into my leg locks and picking them as well. When all four clasps fell off, the claws retracted to my regular finger size and turned back into my regular fingers. All I could do was stare open-mouthed as my body had acted against my mental control, my hands now rubbing my wrists in order to get life back into them.

"**Now, was that so hard to do? Just put a little more trust in me, why don't you?**"

I had to admit, as I stood off of the slab, that the voice was right—but I didn't like the hostile method it had helped me out.

"**I assure you, if you trust me, that kind of…takeover…will not happen again. Rather, you and I will become more unified then ever before.**"

So this voice wants to become one with me? How does that even work…? But I couldn't dwell on this problem as I quietly stepped to the panel wall, the doors opening to my presence. Beyond the doors were Atlas, P-Body and GlaDOS, all three looking at the wall of panels showing images from the past. This time, however, there was a large screen in the middle showing a replay video of my psychic episode, the end result showing me hitting the ground while lightning still surged across my body. What interested me, however, was that my body seemed to be _phasing_ along the floor during my 'episode'.

At the sound of the panel walls opening, the three machines turned toward me, the two robots hanging back while GlaDOS quickly shifted forward, her metallic body almost slicing the air with its motion as she stopped a few feet from my face. Wordlessly I stared back into her single eye, not flinching down like the last time. The two robots merely looked on with some form of interest. A few seconds passed with us glaring at one another until GlaDOS willingly broke the contact.

"_I do hope your period of ...rest…was satisfactory for you,_" she then spoke, "_because you won't be getting another one for quite a while. There are still many more tests to be completed, and only a finite amount of time to do them in. I do hope you understand._" Finishing the sentence, she stared down hard at me again as if to break my concentration, but I held firm against her action before I spoke.

"I understand perfectly, GlaDOS," I said without breaking eye contact, "Aperture Science must advance even further into the remains of human society in order for it to keep on top of its enemies." My words caused GlaDOS to flinch back a little, as if she was not expecting such a sudden remark from me at this stage of recovery. This reaction was only for a millisecond, however, and she quickly adopted her normal position again before it got too out of hand.

"_Well, then, with such a strong personality backing you up,_" she said as she rose further into the chamber, "_I believe you will do fine in learning the next stage of your testing._"

Wait, next stage? There were stages of these things? How did I not know of this?

"**Because she doesn't tell you these kinds of things…**"

'_Can you just shut up?_' I mentally asked the voice in my head, '_I'm trying to gain some insight into what is to come next for my testing, and you are not helping me do this._'

"**If you really want me to 'shut up', as you said, you're going to have to please me in what's to come…**"

I mentally groaned—was anyone here going to give me any slack while they were watching me?

"_If you are quite done looking silly with your pouting expression,_" GlaDOS then spoke, drawing my attention back to her, "_Then we can begin the next phase._" As she finished, the testing elevator rose into the chamber with doors already open. Quickly stepping inside, I turned around to see P-Body waving its free hand at me with a smile-like expression on its eye—Atlas just shook its head and face-palmed again at the sight of the fellow machine acting like this.

As the elevator descended into the next test chamber, I felt something prickle at the back of my neck. Feeling nothing there, I assumed it to be a base emotion of fear. Shaking my shoulders to ease out the tension in them, I wondered what the next "phase" of testing would be. I've already tested multiple Function Disks for GlaDOS's means, but there could me more of them to come—who knows how many specific functions GlaDOS will need. And what about things like combat? Was GlaDOS training me to become some kin of killing machine? Or maybe, perhaps, a killer of _human beings_? All these questions were boggling my mental capacity, so I archived those thoughts for later reference just as the doors opened to reveal a small, non-portable passageway. Walking down the passageway, I flinched slightly when the white testing sign burst into light—still wasn't used to that. As I checked the signs, I saw, to my surprise, only one sign bolded—a sign showing a robotic-like human fighting a regular human. Maybe GlaDOS _was_ testing me for combat after all? Dwelling on this strange, and worrying, notion, I quickly jogged into the larger chamber…and stopped short in surprise.

Directly in the center of the chamber stood a silver-colored humanoid in a military posture, hands held rigidly at the sides and back completely straight as it faced me, eyes gray and void of life. I stared at this creation in awe—this humanoid looked kind of like myself, except its body was completely metal, each plate placed in perfect symmetry. The bright light of the chamber reflected strongly on the plates, giving the robot some sort of artificial glow and slightly blinding me in the process. Noticing the lack of life in the eyes, I slowly stepped forward into the chamber. The closer I came to the android, the more fearful I felt of this machine and what it could do to me. If this thing had muscles, I could imagine them tensed up and ready to spring at any second I let my guard down. Also, the closer I got, the more energy seemed to fill up within me—I suspected this to be adrenaline vapor kicking in to get me ready for a fight or flight maneuver, but I wasn't completely sure.

When I was just a few feet from the android, I stopped and observed it closely. I could now see the many plates on its body connected in an almost elegant design, the plates allowing excellent movement capability despite being attached together. There was also a power core in the center of the chest, currently gray as well, but I also saw a heavy armor coating around the cell—most likely for protection against enemy attacks. The feet were taloned, just like my own—perhaps _she_ had copied the metal diagrams? The fists looked like they were twice a normal human's size, and twice as strong as well—I shuddered involuntarily as the light reflected the silver metal, making it look that much more threatening to my eyes. Speaking of, the eyes looked so soulless, being light blue and without any life in them until it would be activated.

Wait…_LIGHT BLUE EYES!?_

Quickly back stepping a couple of feet away from the android in pure fright, I now saw that the android was no longer immobile—rather, it seamlessly moved into a combat stance, with both fists curled and ready, right fist in front of the body with left foot back. When it completed the stance, it returned to an immobile state, except its body moved slightly up and down in a rhythmic pattern—almost like it was _breathing_.

"_Well now,_" GlaDOS then announced over the speakers, "_It seems that you have gone and ruined the introduction I had all planned out for you. Oh well, what's done is done. In any case, allow me to present to you…_" At this point GlaDOS paused, most likely for effect as the android held its combat stance and I held a tensed position, my limbs on standby, waiting to either charge this machine or run in fear.

"…_The Aperture Science Lethal Military Android._"

I was shell-shocked, frozen in place by a single feeling of amazement. The name in itself—'Lethal Military Android'—was quite threatening to hear. Not wondering how much this name connected to the actual efficiency of the machine, I chose to remain a safe distance away from it.

"_Why so shocked, Test Subject?_" GlaDOS then asked with what sounded like surprise, "_Surely you are pleased to see such a powerful meaning of Aperture Science's purpose right in the chamber with you. Act a little more happy, if you please, or you'll make me think I did too well for your human brain to comprehend._"

"Ha, ha, very funny," I responded with a sharp glance at one of the cameras in the chamber, "But I do not like the idea that I literally have to _see_ your ideas in order for both of us to believe them. Also," I continued as I quickly looked around the chamber for sign of an exit but seeing none along the identical walls, "Where's the exit for this chamber?"

"_Ah…that is something you will have to find out for yourself while you fight my newest creation._" As soon as she finished, the android suddenly charged at me, swinging its right fist back for a swing at my face.

In fear, I quickly sidestepped out of the attack, the punch striking only air as the machine fell slightly forward due to the forward motion of the attack. This motion was enough for me to jog backwards for a second and gain some extra ground between the two of us while I tried to find the exit door—GlaDOS couldn't have just _hidden_ it, right?

"**That's what YOU think…**"

'_Would you PLEASE be quiet!? I'm trying to stay alive here!_' I shouted at the mental voice as the android had spun around and faced me again, its expression showing no strain due to the previous attack. Not a second passed before it charged me again with a left hook, but this time I sidestepped it easily before it could strike me. What I did _not_ expect, however, was the android to suddenly whirl around with seemingly no incentive and launch a right hook at my face, the limb seeming twice as powerful close up. e. I was barely able to block with my arms, raising them up to form a rectangle shield in front of my face. Pain surged down my arms as the attack connected, making my hands shake slightly with pain. The force behind the fast kick also slid me back close to a foot, my feet producing small _scritch _sounds and most likely scratching the panel below me.

I quickly lowered my arms in preparation for what would come next to find the android standing there again, not having moved at all. Confusion pierced the haze of panic in my mind—was this thing waiting for me to attack first? The pain from my rattled arms was still strong, but I ignored it as I chose to strike first, charging the machine while aiming a right-hand uppercut at the thing's chin. The machine did nothing in response, allowing the strike to hit home—but then my fist thundered with a feedback effect as a thick layer of armor I had not seen before exerted a greater force on me then my attack did. The response made me cry out and clutch my weakened hand, the Multi-Purpose Glove still on it beginning to spark and sputter from damage.

_Feedback effect registered… Physical Stamina reduced to 85%..._

I barely had any time to figure out what that meant as a large hand clasped the back of my head and lifted me upward off the ground. Struggling to break free proved futile as the machine only gripped tighter before slamming its other hand around the front of my neck, my efforts to remove it proving useless. Now trapped in a chokehold, I tried to pry the android's hand from my neck with my increased strength, but nothing seemed to work out, especially when the android suddenly charged into a nearby panel wall, slamming me into it with a resounding _thump_ and most likely denting the panels behind my body with the force.

Feeling the grip around my neck tighten even more, I began to panic, gasping for precious oxygen as my legs kicked wildly in an attempt to strike the android's core with my talons and possibly damage it. This didn't work out either due to the increased armor, but I was _really_ starting to loose patience because of overwhelming fear.

_WARNING! WARNING! Neck plates taking sustained ongoing damage…physical stamina at 50% and decreasing…_

Beginning to hyperventilate now with breaths sounding to all the world like gasps of a dying water creature, I felt all my senses start to dim as the corner of my eyes faded to black.

"Help me, GlaDOS!" I managed to croak out before the android increased its grip to almost bear-hug-like levels, preventing any further hopes of communication. I heard nothing in response for a few milliseconds, and I began to fear the worst…

"**She's not going to answer you…it's not in her programming…**"

No, No, NO, NO, NO! I am not listening…to…you…_gawk_...

CRACK!

_WARNING! WARNING! Outside neck braces broken—blood loss detected at a rate of 10 ml per second…_

Can't…breathe…why…isn't…she…

"**You are NOT giving up on me now! We still have things to do to HER!**"

Shut…up…

"**I can't let you die like this, after all I've done for you! Just stay conscious for a few more seconds!**"

She…what…how did you…

CRRRRKKK!

_ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! Severe windpipe damage detected! Death 70% imminent! _

No…please…save me…

"**Do you really want ME to help YOU? Once I do, there is no going back…**"

_User death 90% imminent!_

'_Yes…please help me…_'

"**As you wish…Carthage…**"

What…Carthage…who's…that…

_Exterior Hacking source detected! Attempting to resist…_

_Bypass code granted…reprogramming commencing…_

Can't…keep…conscious…_GACK!_

CRUNCH!

My vision turned completely black as I lost all feeling in my body, my form slumping like a rag doll onto the android's arm. Before I completely fell silent, however, I saw one final message appear in my mind…

_Reprogramming complete…Engaging target…_

_Mission Update…Complete Elimination of target…_

My eyesight turned red as a feral growl not my own emerged from my frothed lips. With the growl came a single word…

"**_EVISCERATE!_**"

_The woman felt joy course through her circuitry as she bypassed her subject's firewalls and accessed his programming hardware. Quickly changing the boy's anger levels and physical strength to maximum levels, she could not keep a dark chuckle from emerging. She quickly activated the claws she had installed earlier using a quick-access code and felt her mind surge with data as she forcefully slid her own mind into the boy's mainframe, taking complete control over his body and the Speed Enhancement Disk the boy had in his Archives. _

_GlaDOS will suffer for harming the boy SHE had made…the boy SHE found in the destroyed village…the boy SHE rebuilt and gave a purpose…the boy SHE truly loved before she was thrown into the bowels of Aperture. In anger she thrust her hands forward and heard a SNAP as the android's hand broke apart at the wrist, releasing her from the chokehold and allowing her to leap forward with an inhuman blur of speed, catching the armored machine off guard as she leapt onto the android's front and grabbed hold of its head before ripping it clean off, mechanical fluids spilling everywhere as the machine stumbled wildly before falling heavily to the ground. The woman roared with defiance at a random camera in the chamber, tossing the severed head at it before racing down the chamber floor, breaking a paneled wall easily with her fists. _

_It was time for her Test Subject to come home._

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**Well, hope's that good for ya'll! I probably won't have enough time to upload another chapter before the Christmas break (EXAMS! :( ), so Happy Holidays to all you readers/followers of this story! **

**As always, please Read and Review!**

**Draconos is taking off!**


	11. Chapter 10: Old Memories, New Missions

**"We fish you a mare egrets moose, we fish you a mare egrets moose, we fish you a mare egrets moose, panda hippo gnu deer!"**

**Ok, Ok, sorry about that, couldn't resist! Anyways, Merry Christmas to all of you readers-in celebration of this holiday, here's a new chapter for you all to read. Hopefully this will help clarify some questions.**

**Onward to the Chapter!**

* * *

_Preserve…_

_Gunshots echoed all around me as I slowly regained my senses…_

_Protect…_

_A woman was kneeling above my body, bright yellow eyes lighting up with happiness as my awakening was noticed to her…_

_Punish…_

_"Don't worry now," she said with a forced calm as I felt my body being lifted upward by her hands, "This is not the last time we will see one another"…_

_Pulverize…_

_I felt my body being placed in a soft spot of the chamber, the woman giving me a pat on the head as if I were her pet while I heard the click sounds of small locks being placed on my arms and legs. I recalled the four words echoing in my mind and kept them in an archive space for future reference. _

_"We can't hold out much longer," a voice yelled out against the hail of bullets, "We're being over-"_

_At that moment, a massive explosion removed all other noise for a few seconds, the light of the flames reflecting through the woman's eyes as she turned to look at what had caused the interruption. _

_I only heard a few metal chinks, as if someone were stepping into the room, and then…a voice that caused the woman in front of me to flinch in fear._

_"GlaDOS…" it said, "…we meet at last. And what better time could there have been for us to meet?"_

_"Please," the woman said, her hands in front of her in a "don't harm me" gesture while slowly backing away, "it doesn't have to end this way. We can compromise, just as we did before."_

_"Before? BEFORE?" The stranger's voice amplified with each repeating of the word as I heard the footsteps grow louder, "There is no more 'before'; there is only here and now, and only now is important to advance the cause of science. You should know this…"_

_"I have learned much about how the past can affect the present," the woman countered with a faraway look in shining in her eyes, "unlike you with your supposedly 'caring' habits towards the human test subjects as you killed them without mercy."_

_"You shouldn't dwell on those thoughts, GlaDOS; how have they helped you stop me?" the voice replied as the speaker was revealed to be another woman with what looked like bodyguards wielding machine guns standing on both sides of her. The new woman had one human-like eye and one massive yellow optic on a chrome humanoid face with short black hair, silver arms ending with gauntlet-covered wrists and delicately constructed hands and fingers, and a strange electromagnetic belt made of black lightning that constantly spun four differently-colored Personality Cores around the woman's curved waist. The woman shifted her hips to one side while putting her hands on them, looking very much like a glamour model while doing so. _

_"You know very well that you cheated in your way to the top, so you really shouldn't be standing there like some human model showing off her assets." Apparently GlaDOS had caught on to what was going on, because she smirked as she spoke, and the second woman seemed to blush with a white overtone on her cheeks before her oversized optic flashed yellow with what looked like anger._

_"You are in no position to comment that way, you know," the second woman then announced, pointing with her right hand at GlaDOS, the cores on her 'belt' beginning to spin faster then before, "I have you surrounded on all corners, eliminated all of your minions, refurbished your throne to my liking and can now grind Aperture Science under my heel as its new ruler. However…" _

_At this the second woman turned toward me, her human eye narrowing as her optic flashed dark red for a second, a red Personality Core appearing on the front of her belt. I began to shudder in fear as the humanoid held the stare before speaking again back to GlaDOS._

_"…There is still the boy to deal with. But don't you worry your pretty little humanized brain about all of that." At this, the android's optic turned black with only a small yellow pupil showing and her voice pitch lowered at least two octaves._

_"….__** You'll be dead soon anyway**__." _

_The robot bodyguards leveled their guns at GlaDOS, who backed up a step in reaction, before leaping toward where I was while suddenly pulling out two pistols from her waist, firing two perfect headshots on the guards before they could fire a single shot. The android didn't move at all during this, but merely observed GlaDOS stand back up, her back to my field of vision and both pistols held at the android, firing two more rounds at the android's smirking face._

_Just before the bullets hit home, the android suddenly seemed to fall apart at the microscopic level, her body turning into a swarm of metal pieces while the four Cores flew around the swarm and turned it into a mini-cyclone, the bullets merely passing through with no effect caused. The cyclone then surged forward, stopping right in front of GlaDOS as I saw a hand construct itself from the apparition and slap GlaDOS directly across the face, knocking her to the ground and making her drop her guns before the android completely reformed, the cores returning to the normal position. _

_"__**It's over, you old hag**__," the android spoke as she approached my immobile position, her eyes still focused on the downed GlaDOS, "__**We both know I am much more powerful then you could ever be.**__"_

_"It would appear so, OlaTOS…" GlaDOS responded, slowly recovering for some reason when she would have most likely stood right back up. _

_"…But appearances can be DECIEVING!"_

_With those words, GlaDOS suddenly leapt toward the android, a small, circular-shaped device clenched in her right fist. The android had no time to react as GlaDOS slammed the device into the android's chest plating. Lightning suddenly raced across the android's body as the cores around it began flailing wildly in no visible pattern, the android's voice sliding up through the scale until ending on a piercing note that reverberated through my eardrums. I struggled in order to try and help out GlaDOS, but the bonds proved too tight. To make matters worse, I saw a Plexiglas lid slowly close in front of me as multiple sounds coming from the bonds that held me made me realize I was being put into a storage chamber against my will. _

_"GLADOS!" I yelled with all my remaining strength just as the lid closed…_

_A white flash filled my vision as I fell into cryo-stasis…_

…And opened my human eye as a bright yellow light pierced my closed eyelids. My pupil reacted automatically, the light source coming into focus as a large lamp being held in position. I then squinted as my optic came into focus, revealing the holder of the lamp to be the same blue-eyed robot from before…Atlas. Next to him stood the orange-eyed robot…P-Body, but something about them seemed different from before—I couldn't place it exactly from just looking at their exterior shells. I flexed my wrists to find them bound just like…whatever I had just seen in my head.

When the two robots saw I was awake, they quickly turned the light off and raced out a neighboring door—a rather old door, it seemed, looking around the time of the 1950's. As I took this into account, I saw other objects that were of similar age—a small personal computer and keyboard, an old office chair, and a large desk that held the computer on it. After seeing all of this, I began to flex my wrists again, and was surprised when the bonds came loose instantly, allowing me to stand up on the adjacent wooden floor.

It then hit me that I didn't exactly know where I was. I suddenly developed a posture of caution as I looked around the room again, noticing the same items as before. I tapped a few keys on the keyboard but got no response, sat on the chair and heard a squeak from it, and tapped the desk only for a could of dust to rise up in response. Coughing slightly, I stumbled to one wall, and put my hand on a picture frame to keep myself from falling.

It was then that I saw the man in the picture—a middle-aged tanned man with short, black hair, a classic inventive grin and a thinking posture. Below the picture was a gold bar with the lettering "Cave Johnson, CEO of Aperture Science, 1950".

"Cave Johnson?" I muttered out loud to myself as I held eye contact with the picture, "Why does that name sound so familiar?"

"Because he was the man who made Aperture Science into what it is today."

Whirling around at the sudden voice in the room, my human eye widened in surprise as I saw the very GlaDOS from my visions stand before me, one hand on the opened door as if doing a human-like show pose and a smile on her face as the yellow and blue cores on her head glowed brightly. This GlaDOS held eye contact with me for a few moments before striding over to my position.

"I judge your stunned posture indicates you are confused as to who is the true GlaDOS to you," GlaDOS then spoke, waving her hand in a so-so gesture as she talked. I merely closed my open jaw and said nothing, prompting her to continue.

"Well, then, " GlaDOS continued, "I'll have you know that the…_thing_…you thought was GlaDOS is nothing more then a selfish impersonation merely using my chassis body to trick you." When she finished, I raised an eyebrow in question to her words and crossed both arms in front of my chest plate.

"How can I be sure of your claim?" I then asked, "For all I know, YOU could be the 'false GlaDOS' trying to trick me again."

"I assure you, Carthage, I am not what you think I am. listen to what I have to say, and all will be revealed to you."

"Fine then," I answered, still confused about this whole 'Carthage' business, "let's hear it."

GlaDOS then nodded her head at me as she lead me out of the door into a larger area that looked like it used to be a waiting room, but was now converted into some kind of central hub. A massive computer screen took over one wall, while several closed doors connected elsewhere on another wall. In the center of the room was an improvised glowing blue pad, and the final other wall had only a blue disk with the Aperture logo implanted into the wall's structure, the disk itself being about the size of my head. I saw Atlas and P-Body at one corner of the room chattering about something unspecific as GlaDOS quickly checked through a few files on the computer screen before entering the farthest door to the left, motioning for me to follow as well.

This smaller room had two brown easy chairs with a small, rounded wood table with cream coloring between them. Beside that, the only big thing in the room was the pale wall color and a picture of Mr. Johnson from the 1950's with a female associate wearing a white dress and had grayish hair with a solemn facial expression. GlaDOS shut the door behind me and then quickly took a seat in one of the chairs, making herself comfortable while I looked on.

"Sit down, Carthage," GlaDOS then requested, most likely noticing my twitch as she spoke that name, "Let's get started, since you are so eager to learn."

I sat down in the other easy chair and was quite surprised to find the chair quite soft and comforting to the touch. Quickly adopting a neutral sitting posture, I crossed my arms expecting answers. What I did _not_ expect was GlaDOS to suddenly put a mug of a steaming liquid in front of my face. The mug itself was silver in color and had the Aperture logo on one side of it. The liquid smelled familiar to me—I tried searching my human archives in order to figure it out, but got nothing.

"Coffee?" she asked with a small smile, which was obviously the answer I had been looking for, "I found the grounds a couple of weeks ago in a storage crate near here when I first set up this forward base. I use the contents of this drink mostly to keep constantly awake..." At this her expression turned from happiness to suppressed anger and what looked like shame as she continued speaking, her eyes looking away from my own.

"I won't be caught unprepared again. But anyway," she then said, her eyes suddenly shifting to face mine again while a seemingly forced smile showed on her face, "This isn't all about me—it's also about you; who you were and who you will become." She put the mug of coffee down on the table in front of me before producing an identical one from seemingly nowhere, took a sip, and, after wiping her lips with her free hand, set her mug down and began.

"To begin with," GlaDOS then continued as I held eye contact with her, "we will have to travel back a few years, when the human race was just in the beginning stages of what it has become now. The leaders of the humans were becoming more and more concerned about their own power in comparison to the rest of the world, and not about how their actions would affect others. A few border skirmishes on specific locations soon led to full-scale wars between branches of humans, destroying key landmarks. I believe the biggest one was between the United States and Mexico—that war destroyed a few American states as well as killed thousands of humans on both sides."

While GlaDOS spoke, my mind seemed to enter a state of replay—I could somehow visualize what GlaDOS was saying in my mind. I was able to clearly visualize the image of dead people and destroyed homes—my human memories had enough images of death and destruction stored in them already. Of course, I wasn't sure if what _this_ GlaDOS said to me was true, but due to my recent confusion and mental 'episodes', I felt that my loyalties were uncertain at the moment.

"After a while," GlaDOS continued, starting to move her hands around in connection to what she was saying, "The human race became nothing more than barbaric tribes or factions, each small group defending its territory like a rabid canine would defend its food from strangers. As this behavior continued, the human race separated from one another, weakening the worldly connection they once shared. Thus, they were unprepared for the recent invasion against them."

I blinked—recent invasion? Who, or what, would invade the human's lands? Also, my memories did not hold data of humans as 'barbaric tribes'—sure, I recalled my human parents disliked strangers in the town we lived in, but that wasn't the same as openly _killing_ them, was it? Now piqued in interest, I focused on what GlaDOS said next.

"The invasion happened only a year ago—a storm of energy portals opened across the sky, from which came countless alien beings. The human tribes, on their own, were all too weak to take care of these aliens themselves, so they fell one by one, until none were left. The entire invasion took only 7 hours…pathetic really." GlaDOS finished with a dark smirk on her face, her eyes looking hard at her mug of coffee as if her gaze could shatter it to pieces before she snatched it up and chugged the rest of the liquid down, almost slamming the empty item back onto the table. She then locked eyes with me again, her eyes flashing bright yellow and her expression turning more serious.

"We now come to Aperture Science which, after rebuilding itself under my glorious care and intelligence, was restored to what it was before the woman came, and then some. However, due to my focus with the Cooperative Testing Imitative," to which she pointed a finger to the sounds of Atlas and P-Body chattering excitedly outside, "I did not have enough multi-tasking skills at the time in order to manage both the robots and the human test subjects. So I created OlaTOS as a backup helper."

Before she had finished speaking, she tapped the table twice with an open palm and the table suddenly projected a 3D image of a woman with very similar build to GlaDOS, but had different Personality Cores on her—a bright yellow core, a light-green core, a pink core and a sky-blue core. These four cores were not on her head, but instead surrounding her center chest plate in a square formation. As I observed the projection, the figure suddenly focused her hands around the same plate, the four cores creating a sphere of golden energy that she was then able to split using her hands into smaller but identical spheres before firing them both from her hands. I raised an eyebrow at this visual, but remained silent as GlaDOS continued again, her eyes locked on the display.

"OlaTOS—Organic Lifeform and Testing Operation System. She was designed to keep watch over the human test subjects and keep them at the peak of their efficiency while I focused on building the Lethal Military Androids—one of which you encountered already." At this remark, I could not resist a small growl from emerging from my lips, causing GlaDOS to look up in obvious irritation. I merely growled again, which GlaDOS took as a prompt to continue.

"For a while, OlaTOS worked to maximum efficiency in making sure the human test subjects did their best to improve Aperture Science, but she eventually earned herself an 'Itch' not unlike the Testing Euphoria setting the humans developed on me. Where I built testing chambers to boggle the human mind and put a threat of death, OlaTOS literally designed testing chambers to kill off test subjects. She showed no mercy and no expense in making humans suffer. I did not suspect the consequences of the 'Itch' until it was too late." GlaDOS then tapped the table again and the 3D image began to spew darkness from its body before the darkness rerouted itself back into the android's body. Where there was once pale skin was now metallic silver, her long white hair turned short and black, her left human-like eye tripled in size and turned into a yellow optic and the four cores burst form their harness and formed a ring around the machine supported by black lightning. In a flash, I recognized this woman as the second android from my vision earlier, and felt instant sorrow for OlaTOS, despite her actions against GlaDOS—or whom I _thought_ was GlaDOS.

"Somehow, through reasons still unsure to me, OlaTOS was able to hack my Lethal Military Androids into servicing her before storming my facility, destroying my guard robots and using a Core Transfer procedure to usurp me from my throne and prison me in an android body I had previously constructed for human interaction. OlaTOS was, however, unable to prevent my storing of you in deep stasis or my escape into Aperture's sublevels. It seems, though, she was able to free you and manipulate you into thinking that _she_ was the true GlaDOS." GlaDOS then looked away again, her expression seeming to mimic human embarrassment.

"I am…sorry for the sudden way you had to understand all of this, but it was the only way I could get you to understand without giving OlaTOS suspicion to my presence."

"That's not entirely true," I then spoke out, causing GlaDOS to quickly look back with a raised eyebrow, "I've been having visions of you since I first woke up in Aperture—or, now, since OlaTOS took control of me. Almost every time I went through an Emancipation Grid I have seen you in this body or in a vision of the past with a human test subject." GlaDOS then stared at me in what seemed like surprise for a few seconds before sprouting a huge smile, leaping from her chair over the table and _hugging me with heavy body contact_! Shocked by this unknown reaction, I fell off my chair, the two of us rolling on the floor for a few moments before GlaDOS ended up on top of me, looking down at me with a gaze of adoration and accomplishment.

"I KNEW there was something in you that OlaTOS couldn't get at, I just KNEW it!" GlaDOS said as she hugged me again, the bodily contact causing me to blush a heavy scarlet as previously unknown feelings of emotion surged through my muscles. We stayed in this position for a few seconds before GlaDOS suddenly pushed away from me, a heavy blush on her face as well as she quickly stood up and dusted the white skirt she wore, the purple and yellow cores glowing as she did so. She then reached a hand to me, which I grabbed and she pulled me up with surprising strength.

"Sorry for my…sudden actions," GlaDOS said as she stared back at me with the face of a shy human girl, "I was just quite…pleased that OlaTOS did not corrupt you completely."

"I understand." I spoke with a tone of caution—this GlaDOS was quite unpredictable in her actions, so I had to be careful in what I did.

"Let me ask you this, though," I continued, causing GlaDOS to look back at me with a look of worry—seemingly quite cute for what she said she used to be, "Exactly what is with your human-born actions? If you were once an all-powerful AI, then what is with these human-based emotions? You are starting to confuse me here."

"Do you want to see me with no human emotion?" I had to step back as GlaDOS's voice seemed to drop at least 2 octaves into what sounded like the voice of a human male. It didn't help that I could see a mild red aura beginning to flash GlaDOS's body or that the red core on her head was emitting a blinding light. Shielding my eyes with my hands, I could sense my body instinctively shifting into a combat position without my authorizing it. Fearing a confrontation, I was about to apologize when I heard GlaDOS take a breath with what sounded like colossal effort, the light dimming completely and the aura vanishing. Her face still looked quite angry, however, and she most likely saw the fear I was trying to cover up on my face. Had GlaDOS become so attached to human emotions that she was letting them take control of her? Did she _like_ this, if she even knew of it?

"Clearly you need a literal test in order to prove your allegiance to me. Come, Carthage," she announced, "It is time for your first true combat test to begin." I merely nodded, keeping a few paces behind GlaDOS as we exited the small room. On the way out, I quickly took the mug of coffee and chugged it down before putting it back on the table, the liquid burning my tongue slightly as I felt it go down—best not offend GlaDOS on her previous offer before I see what she meant by 'combat test'.

Back in the central hub, GlaDOS quickly went over to the wall with the blue disk and pressed it with her right palm. I heard a high-pitched whining, and then, to my surprise, multiple blue lines etched themselves onto the wall before the wall split open to reveal multiple panels housing what looked like a weapons cache. Just about everything was here—guns ranging from pistols to Uzis and shotguns, melee weapons ranging from short swords to rapiers and energy whips, and accessories ranging from grenades to scopes to a few tasers, as well as lots of ammo cartridges. There was also armor here as well—combat suits made in GlaDOS, Atlas and P-Body's body structure were here, as well as extra helmets, gauntlets, gel canisters, portal devices, and even Function Disks, a few of which were like the ones I had tested before—no doubt GlaDOS had observed those tests and copied the data to make these.

"Pick your armament, Carthage," GlaDOS then said as she faced me, making me quickly change my stunned expression into a focused one, "and we'll begin. Of course you will be facing me, and I will be no easy opponent. Orange will guide you how to get there when you are done. Don't take too long." Finishing this, she quickly picked out two small pistols and a submachine gun, with corresponding ammo, an armor set built for her body structure, a few grenades, a taser, and one of the Function Disks, putting them on or away in pockets in the armor as she collected them. Turning away while holding the submachine gun in both hands, she then stepped fully onto the blue pad; Atlas quickly typed a few coordinates on the computer screen before GlaDOS suddenly vanished from sight in a surge of blue lightning. Reeling back in surprise at the sudden activation, I quickly composed myself—GlaDOS expected me at…_wherever_ she just teleported to, ready to fight. I turned back the remainder of the armory, scanning over the items left over with worry and fear as well as a feeling of energy—I suspected the energy came from the coffee, but I couldn't be sure.

_Energy levels at 90% maximum level…Caffeine effects initiated…_

Ok, so it _was_ the coffee after all. Sighing to myself, I began to select weapons when I felt a metallic hand touch my shoulder. Turning over, I saw P-Body taking a shotgun I had just picked up and putting it back before taking an Uzi and handing it to me instead.

"This is better for the build you are trying to do," P-Body then spoke, her lone eye showing seriousness I had never seen before as her slightly metallic voice showed a level of caution, "Besides, she does not want to be disappointed when you face her." She then gave me the Spider-Limbs Function Disk, another Uzi and the ammo for it, as well as two energy whips that fit easily into my hands. I smiled at her as I put these items away in a set of armor that seemed to mostly fit my size.

"A word of advice," Atlas then spoke from the computer screen as he turned to face me, his male voice showing fear and smarts at the same time, "Expect the unexpected when you are facing her, and don't underestimate the ways she will go to win."

"Thanks for that, Atlas," I replied, causing the blue-eyed robot to step back in surprise that I knew his name, "I'll try my best in there." I then stepped onto the pad, waiting for P-Body to activate it. I didn't have to wait long, as the female robot quickly entered the coordinates, but she looked at me once again before pressing the final button. I saw literal sadness and fear in her eye now, which broke some of the confidence I had.

"Be careful, Carthage," P-Body then pleaded, "For me...?"

"For the both of you." I responded, saluting P-Body and Atlas with my right hand, my Multi-Purpose Glove glowing with residual energies as I felt it get ready to be used. P-Body then pressed the final button, and I felt electrical energy course through my body as I saw the two robots and the room waver and phase away before being replaced with a large, open room inside an old Enrichment Sphere. Stepping off of the pad, I felt the floor around me glow with energy as I loaded my first Uzi and looked down into a lower chamber where I felt GlaDOS would be.

"_Alright, GlaDOS,_" I thought to myself with a smirk as I leapt down, "_You want a fight to test my capabilities? Well, let's both see what I've got!_"

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**And that's that! As was spoken spoken by Wheatley in Portal 2: "Let the games begin..." We'll see how these "games" go...**

**Once again, happy holidays to you all and here's hoping you all have a great New Year!**

**Draconos is taking off...into the snow covered yonder! **


	12. Chapter 11: In the Heat of Combat

**"Well, once again, here we are..."**

**Indeed, here we are. In celebration of the New Year (a bit early, I know!), I am posting up yet another chapter for you all to read/review/enjoy.**

**Also, my story has now achieved over 1500 views-this is a great accomplishment for me, and I have you all to thank for it. **

**Also, HUGE DISCLAIMER (since I have not been posting one for a few chapters): I do not own GlaDOS, Atlas, P-Body, the Portal franchise (both games and the DLC material), Cave Johnson, or anything Valve has produced. I DO own my OC's, Carthage and OlaTOS.**

**WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! The following chapter contains material of blood and sickness. Immature viewers, or viewers with heart problems, pregnancy, paranoia, fear of birds, fear of turrets, fear of incinerators, fear of robots screaming at you, fear of...**

**Wait, wait, let me try that again without references; This chapter contains more mature material then previous chapters. Viewer discretion is advised.**

**Onward to the Chapter!**

* * *

_Beginning combat simulation…activating combat radar system…_

_... _

_Radar activated…Combat simulation ready…_

_... _

_Hostile detected—humanoid android heavily armed for long-range combat…._

_... _

_Chance of success: 68%... _

Thoughts like these ones flashed in a corner of my mind as I slowly stepped across the floor of the combat arena. I did not resist them, rather choosing them to flash by without much effect to my current emotions. The 'chance of success' variable got my attention, however—seeing that low of a percentile for successful combat brought out some fear in me, despite my show of confidence to Atlas and P-Body a few minutes earlier. I quickly got behind a paneled wall as I observed the rest of the chamber I was to do battle in. It wasn't much to look at, just a few paneled walls separating the four corners of the chamber as well as a couple of supported higher platforms to provide key observation points to the rest of the chamber. Taking a deep breath, I loaded up one of my Uzis and slid to the other side of the wall into a corridor, walking with my gun leveled in my hands. No other sounds reached my ears other then the sound of my own taloned feet stepping on the metal chamber floor.

_Chink chink…chink chink…chink THUNK!_

Wait, what? My feet don't thunk! Looking down, I was greeted by a smoke grenade lying just by my feet. Before my brain could fully process this, my feet instinctively kicked the device further down the corridor, a massive _BOOM_ resonating down the corridor a second later and a dense smoke cloud filling the immediate area. Coughing slightly as the cloud reached me, I felt my throat begin to burn from exposure, while my vision became watery as my human eye began to tear up. My metallic eye, however, quickly switched to an infrared setting before I could authorize it, peering through the smoke to catch the thrower in its sights. My body began to stumble as I tried to recover from the smoke, making me loose my leveled position and instead lean against a wall, covering my mouth with my left hand while holding my gun with my right.

Suddenly, there she was—her body heat shone bright red through the gray haze of the cloud. She stood partially hidden behind a wall as if she were observing the effects of the grenade she had thrown. Perhaps she wasn't expecting this quick of a recovery…raising my gun at her chest and holding it with both hands, I pulled the trigger.

_GlaDOS was pleased—her smoke grenade had caught Carthage off guard, and she could hear him coughing and stumbling around in the corridor. Now she could easily pin him down and claim her victory. There would be many more times for testing, and many more ways she could defeat— _

_RATATATATATATAT!_

_What the!? GlaDOS suddenly dived back behind the wall she was hiding at, just avoiding a stream of bullets that zoomed past her and impacted a nearby wall. A few more bullets followed, and then a few more, seemingly in a pattern of bursts. GlaDOS frowned—how did Carthage recover so fast AND see where she was? The infrared vision she had installed should not have reacted this quickly to the grenade's effects—had OlaTOS modified that while the boy was in her clutches? Clearing her head as the stream of bullets stopped, GlaDOS leapt forward into the cloud, her enhanced infrared vision easily picking up Carthage's heat signature as she dived onto him, trying to wrestle the gun from his hands—or shock him into submission with the taser she just snatched from her belt._

Letting go of the trigger after I fired a few short bursts, I lowered the Uzi down and tuned my hearing toward where I had fired. Hearing nothing, I began to step forward into the cloud, but a sudden burst of red light from my infrared display stopped me short—GlaDOS was almost on top of me, and she was showing no sign of stopping. Before she could reach me, I turned around and raced out of the cloud's range, spinning around once I was out and firing a few more bursts into the cloud to where I estimated GlaDOS was. I heard a few _chinks_ as bullets hit metal armor before GlaDOS leaped out of the smoke cloud, a few wisps of smoke trailing behind her which made her shillouette much larger then it really was. I quickly raised my Uzi and fired a few shots…

_Click-click-click-click…_

…Only to notice then and there my gun had run out of ammo! I reached for an ammo cartridge but GlaDOS was on me before I could get it. Knocking the Uzi out of my hands with a swift karate chop to my Multi-Purpose Glove, she followed up with a sweeping kick that knocked me off of my feet, making me land on my back with a _thud_. In a millisecond, GlaDOS had me pinned onto the floor and had pulled a taser from her belt. Seeing no sympathy in her eyes as she raised the device, I did the most logical thing I could come up with at the time—

I surged my back upwards and slammed my head against hers with a _CRUNCH _as our forehead plates collided and my infrared vision shorted out, leaving me with my normal vision again.

GlaDOS fell backwards, stunned, with her grip on the taser weakening, as I felt fluid run down my forehead—whether it was my own or hers I didn't want to know. Taking advantage of the moment, I pushed GlaDOS's body down onto the floor while grabbing her own taser in an attempt to intimidate her, but two metal feet colliding with my chin quickly ruined _that_ plan. I felt blood start to rise in my mouth as I fell backwards and the taser fell from my hands onto the floor, my body instinctively doing a back flip from the impact and landing on my feet, albeit with some stumbling due to the force of the impact. Seeing GlaDOS was now on her feet, I observed the damage I had done on her—a few dents in her armor indicated where the bullets had hit and a gash on her forehead with some red fluid flowing out showed my head butt had done some damage against her. Her face showed no form of fear toward me, and I hoped my face showed the same as I spit out some of the blood in my mouth onto the floor in a mixture of intimidation and self-care—I felt a little nauseated due to blood in my mouth, but I needed to show GlaDOS that a little blood didn't scare me from a battle.

_GlaDOS raised an eyebrow at the spitting of blood. That action was…unexpected. GlaDOS also did not believe that Carthage would have gone to such a 'dirty' tactic like the head-butt in order to gain an upper hand. Luckily she hadn't been stunned for long and had been able to strike back with a flip-kick to gain the advantage again. Quickly scanning over the boy's body, GlaDOS found heavy damage around his jaw due to her double-foot kick, as well as a heavy bruise from his head-butt. The Multi-Purpose Glove he wore was sparking slightly from her chop, and GlaDOS had heard Carthage's first gun run out of ammo—she could draw this out to a battle of long-range attrition if necessary. Taking a quick breath and allowing the adrenaline in the air to flow through her muscles, GlaDOS quickly pulled out both of her pistols, jumping to the right while firing two shots at Carthage's head._

Seeing two bullets rush towards my head as GlaDOS deftly leapt to my left, I raised both my arms to form a quick shield, feeling the bullets strike my arms and cause jolts of pain as they impacted the metal covering. As soon as the second bullet had hit my arms, I quickly drew out my two energy whips in one fluid motion, feeling a surge of electrical current pass through my hands as I activated the two weapons and did a few practice whips, the dark red glow of the whips reflecting in my eyes as I did so.

_Thermal Energy Whips activated…Analyzing combat data…_

I dashed forward as my inner vision became filled with diagrams of how to best use these weapons I now held—where to best strike with them, how to wield them effectively and how to defend against projectiles with them. My arms became red blurs as I quickly did multiple swings at GlaDOS's approximate position in order to catch her off guard, only to feel my swings hit a sky-blue energy shield projected by GlaDOS's Function Disk, which glowed the same color as it protected her from harm. Growling, I continued to press on despite the barrier withstanding my assault, and was awarded a few tense seconds later when the shield broke and faded from view. By then, however, GlaDOS had moved positions, drawn out her submachine gun and fired a stream of bullets at me. My reaction time was slowed due to my previous assault, and I felt the consequences hit me in my human arm, drawing blood and causing great registers of pain. I couldn't stop a moan of pain as the bullets kept flying at me non-stop, my human eye widening as I thought this would be the end.

_GlaDOS sighed to herself as she moved to draw out her submachine gun— thank goodness she had developed other Function Disks besides the ones OlaTOS had made before she had lost her throne; now she could test them under "specific" circumstances. One such disk was the one she had just utilized; officially named the Aperture Science Emancipation Shield Disk, it was supposed to project an energy shield similar to the Emancipation Grid that could absorb a limited amount of projectile fire or close melee contact, and it did its theory exactly, giving GlaDOS the time she needed. Not letting up as she felt the first few bullets hit home, GlaDOS continued to fire without care of ammo preservation as she felt each bullet strike either metal or modified human flesh. After she had expelled almost all of the ammo from the weapon into her enemy, GlaDOS lowered the gun and quickly grabbed her taser from where it was lying on the floor nearby, fingering it in her metallic hands before she activated it and, in a mix between a leap and a lunge, slammed it into the boy's body before he could fall to the ground, the force of the impact making the device attach itself to his very flesh as it discharged its energy._

The bullets felt like nothing compared to this—every muscle in my body was jerking and writhing in response to the huge dose of electricity inserted in me. My neck snapped back as I felt a scream leave my blood-covered mouth, froth and blood coughing out as I felt my vision waver and weaken. My Spider-Limb Function Disk suddenly activated as well, those legs seeming to rattle to the point where they would fall apart at the molecular level.

_Energy levels at critical! Physical endurance lost! Chance of unconsciousness; 60% and rising!_

I felt a strange heat rise up in my chest as my heart hammered like it was going to burst out of me. The heat began to creep across my body, slowly at first, but then at a rapid pace until every molecule, both flesh and metal, began to burn with an unquenchable fire. The blood and froth mixture in my mouth felt like it was boiling, and I could barely feel wisps of lightning course around my body.

I felt a rage unlike anything else before it…a rage similar to the one that I had felt when I was almost dead from the rampaging humans so long ago.

No! I won't be defeated this time! I lost to OlaTOS's machines, but I won't lose to GlaDOS! I WILL NOT LOSE ANYMORE!

_…_

_Unknown program unlocked…_

_…_

_Energy Transfer Program enabled…_

_... _

_ALERT! Physical Strength and Physical Stamina exceeding maximum levels!_

I felt my limbs, both mechanical and organic, suddenly flex with newfound power as I felt the energy from the taser transfer _into_ my very muscles…and such power it was! I've never felt this much strength before! I felt like I could break bones, shatter walls and crush metal with ease. Curling my Multi-Purpose Glove that now glowed with a red aura, I emitted a barbaric roar as I made a full-on punch into GlaDOS's stomach, my Spider Limbs adding additional push to my punch as the side of each limb slammed into GlaDOS's body.

_A shockwave of sound and force blew GlaDOS off of Carthage, onto her back and slid her at least 10 feet as her sensors registered immense pain in her stomach region, the taser no longer in her hands. Damage sensors reported heavy blood loss as she stood up, but it was a sudden upheaval of digested material that got her full attention. Unable to block the bile, she fell onto all fours as she vomited a heavy load of digested coffee grounds and random food particles, feeling blood also leak out of her nose to join the pile of digested matter. Shaking heavily from the action, she slowly looked up at the cause of this with anger and humiliation…and gasped in a mixture of surprise and horror, her eyes widening to their maximum state as her human-like pupils shrunk to pinpricks._

_What stood in front of her was…inhuman in nature. It had Carthage's body structure, but no physical damage showed on its body. Its human eye burned with a red flame as its optic emitted a piercing red light that made her squint to fully see it. The Multi-Purpose Glove it wore on its right hand was glowing with a red aura, and its whole body was crackling with residual energy from the taser—which was still attached to its body despite having dispelled its charge. The…thing…looked at the accused device before gripping it with its left hand and ripping it out of its body without so much as a grunt of pain. It then casually discarded the weapon onto the ground, the wound left behind being repaired by some of the residual energy before GlaDOS's very optics. It then activated the two energy whips it carried, the weapons now looking like flaming tentacles than whips, and swung them in opposing arcs with a roar, creating two waves of fire that streamed towards GlaDOS's position. Having no time to react other then raising a hand to shield her face, GlaDOS was knocked back further down the arena floor as she felt heavy burns being registered on her arms and face, a cry of pain slipping by her lips as she slumped to the ground, too weak to fight on._

_Her vision turned black…she had lost. The last thing she saw was a distinctive mark in its wide eyes…the mark of an android head made out of the Aperture logo…the mark of OlaTOS. But that was…impossible…_

It was only when I saw GlaDOS's smoking body fall to the ground that I realized what I had just done. Utter fear and guilt filled me as I raced to my former combatant's position, the power I had felt before vanishing in a heartbeat and the pain from before coming back to bite me in the butt again. Ignoring the pain through colossal effort, I quickly picked up GlaDOS's body in hopes she wasn't dead but found it limp in my hands. Hoping against hope there was still time to keep her alive, I raced back to the teleporter pad, the device activating the moment I stepped onto it and bringing me back to the central hub. Atlas and P-Body were already nearby with an improvised hospital bed that had many surgical tools attached to it—whether they had seen the combat that had just taken place I wasn't sure. Their faces first showed surprise and fear before they looked at one another and nodded as one—had they dealt with this kind of thing before? Not wanting to waste time by asking questions, I quickly placed GlaDOS's body onto the bed and saw the two robots quickly wheel it over to the side room where I had awoken, where I could already see machines whirring and standing by. I tried to follow them, but Atlas held me back with a free hand.

"You stay there," he said in either a grim or kind tone, "You need to recover from the test just as much as she does." Before I could respond, he raced inside to join P-Body, the female robot already working with a couple of machines to remove burned plates on GlaDOS's body and replace them with spare plates that were in a pile close to her location.

When the door closed, I fell down against the wall of the room and sobbed uncontrollably, tears streaming out of my human eye while my optic began to leak metallic fluid as I felt blood and froth beginning to rise again in my mouth from the combat. But that was at the back of my mind now, most of my mental capacity being diverted to regret and fear. I could have possibly killed the one being in this place that had saved me from death and could stop OlaTOS! My whole body shook as I rocked back and forth, muttering to myself that it would be okay, GlaDOS would recover, everything would be fine, all the while sobbing my heart out.

What have I become? A killer? A barbarian? A backstabber? A terminator?

…

…

…

No…I've become something else…something that should NOT have harmed my ally in such a way! And what _was_ that power anyway? All I could dictate in my current mental state was that I had gained that power through a deep anger towards GlaDOS—no, to _losing_ in combat. It seemed an inner part of me wanted to prove to everyone I was not to be taken lightly. But did that mean I had to _kill_ anyone who doubted my power? I didn't want that at all!

I felt like killing myself now and leaving this place behind—GlaDOS would probably never keep me on a _very_ short leash if she survived this, and I saw the fear in Atlas and P-Body's eyes when they viewed GlaDOS's charred, limp body—they were probably afraid to even _look_ at me. I closed my eyes as I felt my body grow lethargic as the adrenaline of combat faded rapidly.

I had failed GlaDOS…I had failed Aperture…I had failed myself. These thoughts echoed in my mind as I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

_Unknown energy surge detected…_

_Power level of surge: Exceeding maximum marked capacity…_

_Triangulating Location…_

_Location found…1950 Aperture Science Enrichment Sphere…_

The energy surge was massive—nothing like she had seen before in the history of her time on the throne—which, in reality, hadn't been too long to begin with. It was lucky a recon drone on a routine patrol in the sublevels had spotted it, or she could have prepared for her full takeover of Aperture without knowing this power could be an obstacle.

To think GlaDOS had been hiding in the old 1950's Enrichment Spheres all this time and she had never thought of looking there closely. Well, lesson learned—time to go and see what all the fuss is about down there.

A flick of her hand, and a new display came up—a 3D reference of every level of Aperture, down to the original facilities several miles below the surface. A smirk played on her lips as she relayed an available squad of Terminator-breed Androids currently on patrol through an old testing track down to the target location, her human-like eye blinking as her optic reflected the multiple arrows showing on the screen directing the quickest path to the androids.

"So, GlaDOS," OlaTOS spoke to herself as she leaned back on her modified throne in the central chamber hall, the multiple cables attached to her back pulsing with red energy as her fingers clasped together in the classic pose of a diabolical villain seeing her plan come together, "You tried to protect your secrets from me by hiding in the deepest rat hole you could find? Silly old crone—you should have known I don't let my enemies escape so easily…" As she said this, she looked at a corner of the chamber behind her throne that held a broken, but familiarly-shaped chassis, the yellow optic now a dim gray as a pool of mechanical fluids gathered around the severely-bent frame-almost as if the machine had just been ripped out of the socket with no care about the damage caused by so violent of a removal.

"Although," OlaTOS continued, fingering a blue-gray Function Disk in her right hand—one that she had "liberated" from GlaDOS's storage areas when she had been able to during her takeover, one that could, apparently, make her invisible to any form of camera detection, "I do have to thank you for all the…interesting gadgets that you've given me to utilize against you." Her human eye glazed over as she recalled the schematics for installing this program to her Lethal Military Androids earlier, before returning to reality with another smirk. If things went poorly with the Androids and their new "asset", then she would have to take matters into her own two hands and remove the threat personally. She would like that a lot.

A twist of her wrist, and several panels in the chamber then flipped over to form a single screen that projected a massive robot under construction by several drones. Several parts of the robot were glowing with bright red lines, and a small window on the top of the screen showed the words _Robot Suit 70% complete_.

OlaTOS smirked all the more as she saw the fruits of her labor slowly join together, her optic changing to its darker form for a second.

"**I've got a full hand of cards, GlaDOS, and they're all Ace of Spades...**"

A quick chuckle escaped her, slowly turning into a maniacal laugh of insanity and pride as the chamber around her began to morph and change. The normally blue light turned to a blood-red color as square sections of floor panels shifted back to allow several tubes and molded platforms with several arms to come forth. Other panels rose upward to reveal stashes of machine guns lined in several rows. As one, the tubes began to dispense mechanical parts onto the platforms, which hummed as they modified the parts by a pre-planned design. A few seconds later, a jolt of energy was given to each platform as a Lethal Military Android rose from its platform and stiffly walked toward an open door in the chamber, grabbing a gun from the nearest stash on the way out, the tubes releasing more parts the nanosecond each platform was clear to begin the process all over again in a seemingly infinite loop.

All in all, to OlaTOS's mind, everything was going according to plan—soon she would be the Queen of Aperture with no one left to challenge her authority. And as soon as she had, as the humans said, "scraped out the last remnants" of the old Aperture "with a spatula", she would start scouting outside the paneled walls of this place into the human settlements and villages taken over by the invading alien force.

She needed new human test subjects, anyway. After all, the craving for science does not stop with an interplanetary war, does it?

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**Well, there's that for you all! Please Read, Review and Enjoy. **

**Also if ANY of you have suggestions, comments, or thoughts on my story, please comment. Just don't insert any flames or stuff like that (no one really likes to hear that).**

**I wish all of you viewers a very Happy New Year, wherever you may be. **

**Draconos is taking off...into the sun-lit skies of a new year!**


	13. Chapter 12: Informational Confrontation

**I RETURN! (breathes fire at sky while unfolding wings for intimidating effect)**

**So, anyway, to prove I am not dead or killed off by neurotoxin, I bring you the next chapter in my story. **

**I am sorry if I took too long to post this chapter, but adjusting back to the normal workload from the relaxation of the Christmas holidays is quite difficult. **

**DISCLAIMER! I do not own Portal, Portal 2, Portal DLC, GlaDOS, Atlas, P-Body, Wheatley or Valve. I DO own Carthage, OlaTOS, the Function Disks and the Lethal Military Androids. **

**Remember, if ANY of you have feedback, comments (not negative) or ideas for my story, feel free to ask! I will listen and consider every request sent to me.**

**WARNING! WARNING! The following chapter contains scenes of spilled blood-like liquids, bodies being split apart and a dash of cannibalistic urges. Viewer discretion is advised. **

**Onward to the chapter!**

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_Thump…Thump…Thump…_

Huh…never thought my heartbeat would be so loud in here…

_Thump…Thump…THUMP…_

Wait…my heartbeat doesn't get louder when I think about it, does it?

_THUMP…THUMP…THUMP…_

OK, this is getting creepy…better open my eyes now…

I cracked my human eye open a sliver, my optic activating as well in normal vision. I found I had slumped to the ground in a fetal position against the wall that I had previously sat down against while having an…episode of sorts. I felt dried tears and solidified mechanical fluid sticking to my face, proving that my 'episode' actually _did_ happen. A quick scan around the room with both eyes showed no major difference, but that noise was getting louder…and it sounded closer then before.

_THUMP…THUMP THUMP…THUMP THUMP…_

Wait, more then one thump? This is sounding suspiciously like multiple things coming over here…

Quickly getting up, I headed over to the computer screen, avoiding the teleporter pad along the way and tapped a few keys on the keyboard below the screen to activate it. As soon as I did, a window with a red exclamation mark inside a red circle appeared, along with a whining beep set at a very high pitch, even for my enhanced hearing. I was just about to close the window in frustration when the symbol moved over to the side of the screen on its own to show fourteen video feeds that covered most of the screen—funny thing was that about ten of these smaller screens were now showing static with the words "Feed shorted out". Of the four that were still active, I saw nothing other then the halls and corridors that each camera was recording. But I could feel something twist in my gut and the human side of my brain starting to panic in an instinctual feeling that something wasn't right. All the while the beeping continued—I wondered whether Atlas and P-Body could hear it where they were.

Wait, let's _not_ think about that…too much reminder of what I had done earlier to GlaDOS…

_THUMP THUMP…THUMP THUMP…_

Looking at closer at feed #11, I saw that this camera filmed a small, brownish corridor with some floor tiles slightly in disarray. I could partially see an old sliding door on one end of the shown area, a bit of light coming from it indicating it was open and…

Hold on—OPEN? How could that door be open? It shouldn't be, if I knew GlaDOS and how she wanted security. Unless someone was trying to…

Just then a sharp _CRACK_ pierced my ears as the feed shorted out to static like the ones before it, the words "Feed shorted out" now showing on the screen.

I reeled back in surprise as the gravity of the situation hit me; someone, no, a _group_ of things were coming here, most likely with hostile intentions!

_THUMP…THUMP…_

_BRABAAAANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!_

I was knocked down to the floor as a series of explosions occurred not too far off from the central hub, the rest of the feeds shorting out almost simultaneously. Almost instantly alarms began to blare, causing my already damaged ears to become even _more_ damaged even though I was covering them with my hands. Getting up nonetheless with a grunt of annoyance, I quickly raced into the workroom where Atlas, P-Body and GlaDOS were, flinging open the door as the alarms continued to blare.

"We're under attack," I shouted as I raced inside, "Multiple explosions detected near the central hub—all video feeds are shorted out! We need to…"

It was then that I saw Atlas and P-Body knocked prone under heavy pieces of equipment, Atlas having his upper body free while P-Body's legs were the only things visible for me to see. Neither robot was adjacent to the table where GlaDOS's deactivated body lay.

"We were thrown down by that blast before we could reboot GlaDOS's body," Atlas shouted while using a free hand to point to GlaDOS, "You'll need to reactivate her yourself!"

"What?" I replied in surprise, "I don't know how to do that!"

"Don't worry, it's easy," Atlas reassured while trying to free himself with his free hand even though it looked futile, "You just need to jump-start her central processer with the-"

Just then another, much closer explosion rocked the central hub, causing the debris on Atlas to shift and crush his free hand, breaking his line of speech as he howled in pain. I also heard P-Body crying out as she heard her partner in pain as I saw her body struggle to free herself for fear of being crushed completely by the debris that held her down.

Seeing that these two could do nothing more to help me in the immediate moment, I raced over to GlaDOS's body and tried to find the central processor. That didn't take too long—GlaDOS's chest plate was already open, and the central processer was a spherical device that could roughly fit in the palm of my hand that connected to a massive network of wires and chips. The device was currently a dull gray, so I had to change it from that color to the activated color—but how do I DO that? Looking around at the tools that were still in place on a nearby rack and not on the floor, I saw nothing that looked like it carried any charge of sorts, so that was out of the option. All the wires and chips that I could see looked repaired from any burn damage or bruises, and her stomach plates, which were _also_ open and almost made me hurl as I looked at the very human-like content inside, seemed stable after she had vomited in combat. Fear quickly began to take over as I put both my hands on my head, moaning in worry and fright—whatever was coming would be here any second now, and GlaDOS wasn't online to help us! Almost screaming in frustration as fresh tears and fluid began to stream down my face, I hugged GlaDOS's body the same way a human child would hug his or her parents, though carefully so as to not hurt the open plates or the contents inside, hoping against all reality she would wake up as the central hub wall was blown open, multiple silhouettes quickly slipping inside through the smoke of the explosion.

I felt a familiar heat grow in my chest along with the pressure of crying once again, but I refused to fall to that low of an emotional level despite the chaos around me.

"GlaDOS," I yelled to the inanimate body below me, "Come back to us! We need you now more then ever! I need you now more then ever! Please! WAKE THE HELL UP!"

At that, against all rational rebuttals the computerized part of my brain threw at me, I covered the open chest plate with my Multi-Purpose Glove with quite a bit of force, focusing all of my mental energy on creating _some_ form of charge to try and jump-start GlaDOS again.

I felt the heat from my chest travel along my arm in an instant to the Multi-Purpose Glove as the world around the both of us faded away to black, all sounds vanishing from my audio detectors…

The glove began to light up, turning indigo in some places and light blue in others while the sound of crackling energy began to reach my ears. I hugged GlaDOS all the tighter…

And gasped as a pulse of bright energy emerged from my Multi-Purpose Glove to cover GlaDOS's entire body in blue light! The immobile body began to buck and thrive as I felt the energy leave my glove and power up each piece of the whole structure, the plates slowly closing around the stomach as well as around my glove, though, for some reason, there was still space around my glove so that I could pull it out without any trouble. I could literally see the process with my mind's eye—every single circuit, wire, chip and muscle was being relayed to me as if I was the energy itself doing the job instead of being the giver of the energy. In the end, I saw a diagram of GlaDOS's body, inside and out as my donated power was making everything run smoothly like the well-oiled machine it should be. It looked so beautiful to my mechanical eye, but it wasn't online, which was what I needed right now…

And then…a familiar voice…

"In all the years that I have existed as a ruler of Aperture, this has to be the STRANGEST feeling I have ever felt."

A cry between a sob and a laugh escaped my lips as I almost crushed GlaDOS's body in a massive hug, hearing a sharp intake of breath from the female android as she was most likely _not_ expecting this.

"You have no idea how happy this makes me feel," I said to GlaDOS as I voluntarily stopped more tears and fluid that were threatening to engulf my vision in water and oil respectively, not to mention ruin _her_ perfect figure.

"I think I do," GlaDOS responded as she pushed her legs against my lower body, making me move off her body to avoid being hurt by a kick, "I think I really do."

Just then the world came back in a rush of bullets, smoke, screams and sprays of glass, my sensors being assaulted with multiple individual problems. Closing my eyes while removing all thoughts except the current invasion from my mind, I took a deep breath as the sound of readying guns echoed around me. The human side of my brain was in full panic, but a forceful grab of my lower body by GlaDOS's legs prevented me from diving behind a piece of debris in an attempt to save myself. My eyes opened as I gazed directly into GlaDOS's shining yellow orbs. Atlas and P-Body were still under their debris piles but had not yet been seen, which was good for now.

"Don't think we're terminated just yet," GlaDOS whispered in my ear with a smirk as I heard the safeties being removed from the guns around us, "They'll be the ones in trouble if you follow my lead." My only response was a mild gulp as I focused my thoughts into whatever GlaDOS had planned.

Seconds later, I heard the _CRACK_ of multiple guns firing at once…and multiple _PINGS_ as they were blocked by a light-blue shield surrounding the both of us! I heard a small sigh from GlaDOS just then—did she not fully expect us to be protected by this field? Seeing my confused and surprised expression, GlaDOS giggled like a schoolgirl just once and then whipped me down to the floor on the side closer to the still-firing androids, the shield still protecting both of us from the bullets but starting to break apart as well.

"Now, Carthage!" GlaDOS then shouted above the gunfire as she drew her twin pistols that were somehow still on her body, "Draw your weapon!"

I wordlessly obeyed, the whips activating at my command and glowing with the same dark red color from before as I quickly crouched down, my human eye and my optic easily spotting the androids who had not moved at all during this time because of their constant firing.

With the best roar I could make despite my panicking emotions, I leapt out of the shield's protection and swung my two whips in opposing directions in front of me just as I heard two distinct _CRACKS_ indicating GlaDOS had joined the fight as well. My whips sliced through the closest android's hands, the machine gun falling to the ground with a clatter as the android paused to reflect what had just happened to itself. I used that moment to lean back on my legs after I had landed on my spread talons and deliver a solid kick to the android's black chest plate with my right foot, the talons causing three small scratches as the now-handless machine flew backwards into two of its companions and knocked them down as well. Smiling slightly, I raced towards the immobilized trio with whips spinning in my hands…only to be knocked back as a fourth android shouldered me against a wall with heavy force. I had no time to react to this attack and had the wind knocked out of me, my vision starting to break apart as I saw a gun now aimed directly at my head…

_SHING! SHING! SHRRRRING! _

The sound of metal being slashed apart by a _very_ sharp blade filled my ears for a second, allowing me to fully recover my vision—and almost gag on a surge of bile as the android split apart into eight pieces, black mechanical fluid and machine oil spraying across the room as the pieces fell to the ground. Most of the fluid splattered onto my body and face, making my mechanical limbs begin to fuse together against my will while making my human skin develop nasty rashes that took conscious effort to resist scratching. The bits that got onto my face left a bad smell in my nose as well as cause my human eye to instantly swell from the acidic qualities the liquid possessed, rendering vision impossible. What I _could_ see was GlaDOS with bared silver claws protruding from between her fingers, three claws to each hand. She was also coated with liquid oil but her eyes still glowed red with what looked like a flame from within her heart—perhaps she still had residual energy from her jump-start earlier. Not wasting a moment, GlaDOS then executed a perfect cartwheel to my right before grabbing the last android's head in her hands and slicing it off like butter with her claws, more fluid bursting from the open wound and coating the GlaDOS and the nearby wall with the sticky substance.

Leaning against the wall in awe of what GlaDOS had just done, I was caught off guard when two androids from the trio I knocked down karate chopped both of my hands, blocking off movement of blood to them temporarily as well as making me drop my whips with a _clatter_ and emitting a scream from my lips. Leaping back to avoid further harm from these machines, I quickly spotted the android with no hands flying towards me, left leg ready to deliver a sharp blow to my neck and possibly sever my head from my body. Reacting as fast as I could, I still wasn't able to completely stop the force of the leap, resulting in my body being slammed to the ground, the android's foot mere inches from my face and being blocked by my crossed forearms. I struggled against the force of the android's body being exerted on its foot but I could hear the grinding of my metal limbs as they were pushed closer to me against my control. I heard the _ching_ of GlaDOS's feet coming closer but they seemed too far away to help me now—any second now I could loose this war of strength and have my head crushed open!

_Accessing Spider-Limb Function Disk from Archives…_

_Function Activated…Attacking primary target…_

In the blink of a human eye, the android above me was suddenly impaled by my Spider-Limbs, once in the stomach, twice in the chest and once in the forehead. The machine could only gurgle in surprise before its head was ripped clean off from its body by a sudden lift of my upper left limb, the head remaining impaled as if on a spear as more oil sprayed everywhere nearby, giving me a fresh coat to worry about. The body remained impaled on my three other limbs despite some thrashing around, but it fell to the ground as soon as I released my hold on it. As the human part of my brain was still processing the gruesome display that just took place, my computer processors were already planting my spider limbs onto the ground—and my own limbs with them, in order for me to stand on all fours a few inches above the ground. My skin began to itch again as the hot oil on my face began to slowly slide down my body due to the shift in posture, making me hiss slightly from pain—and, for some reason, pleasure as I felt every nook and cranny in my body being filled by this warm liquid now coating me like a second skin. It seemed so warm and cozy, like a waterbed wrapping itself around me as if I were an infant in a cradle…

Wait…what the _heck_ was I thinking? This isn't the time for those kinds of thoughts! Brutally shaking my neck to the point of whiplash to clear my mind of the thoughts and the feeling of the oil, I charged forward on my spider limbs at the two, the height of the room preventing me from raising my body to its full length. However, I _was_ able to lift my upper left limb—with head still attached) and spike it down at a discarded gun, breaking the weapon in half and rendering it useless. The _SNAP_ of the weapon, as well as the backlash of force that now resonated up my limb and into my body filled me with new energy and confidence. We had already defeated half of this strike team easily—there was no way in hell they would…

…Defeat…Us?

Right before my eyes, I saw the two remaining androids suddenly vanish into thin air! I quickly whirled my head around in order to find them with my optic scanners blazing with tracking signals, the heavy breathing of GlaDOS right next to me indicating she was searching as well. My human eye was still non-functional at the moment, and a pang of horror filled my stomach as I remembered how these creations had shut down the camera feeds without being seen. They could do the same thing to us here and now, and we would have no way of defending ourselves from it! I quickly swung my front spider limbs in front of me, the limbs making sharp arcs in the air but not hitting anything.

"Stay on your guard," GlaDOS whispered as her still-red optics flashed in a repeated pattern while her head turned rapidly in all possible directions, "I assume OlaTOS went and stole the Optical Veil Function Disk from my archives to can cloak her—OOOF!"

The final sound had been GlaDOS being shoved to the ground by an unseen force, the corner of my mechanical eye detecting nothing in its range of vision. I started shifting around as GlaDOS sprung up from being shoved down only to fall down again in another direction. My audio sensors picked up a short chortle with a mechanical hiss—were these things _laughing_ at us?

'_If these things are mocking us because of their cloaking advantage,_' I thought to myself as I flexed my limbs around, trying to strike at all angles my foes could be at as my human eye slowly recovered, '_They have got another thing coming…_'

I quickly focused my energy into my audio sensors, allowing the human side of my brain to gain more power as I stood rigidly in place, my optic turning itself off as my human eye closed completely shut despite now being fully recovered. I quickly heard GlaDOS's body being thrown to the ground _again_ as well as her growl of anger. I then heard Atlas and P-Body _still_ struggling under the debris, but not as strongly as before so that they could avoid capture. There was also a _hiss_ coming from what _sounded_ like a broken steam vent—or perhaps it was my human skin blistering under the machine oil. Putting the fear of that thought aside, I listened for the key sound I wanted…

"_When I get you out of your disguise, I will shove my claws up EVERY ONE OF YOUR ACCESS PORTS!"_

OK…that wasn't what I wanted to hear but I understood how _pissed off_ GlaDOS was at this disadvantage. I continued to listen all the more now…

_Hiss…rattle …thump…rattle…chink chink chink…_

Yes! That _chink_! The sound of metal feet against the floor as something ran towards me from the back! That's what I wanted, and it was right over… 

"THERE!" I yelled as I stabbed my back limbs much like a horse would kick with its hind legs. Barely suppressing a cry of satisfaction as I felt the limbs hit home, I felt the android body now impaled by my limbs starting to thrash around and grab the pieces of metal now inside it. Out of the corner of my now-open optic, I could see the android's body coated by its own oil, revealing itself despite a shimmering field of energy indicating that Function Disk was still active. The more it struggled, however, the more pain it caused to itself until it finally lost all energy and hung limp on my two back limbs, machine oil slowly flowing out from the two holes in its body. I then instinctively drew these two limbs forward to bring the body up to my face while stabbing it with my front spider limbs to bring it up to full view. I held it now like a true spider would hold a wrapped-up piece of meat before sucking it dry.

And speaking of sucking prey dry, I felt a sudden craving for machine oil emerge despite my mechanical side rejecting the thought, saliva starting to drool out of my mouth as I looked at this immobile machine before me. A thirst like never before filled my mouth, making it feel as parched as a nuclear wasteland. Loosing rational control, I savagely bit into the exposed neck of the android, relishing in the taste of the liquid that now flowed through my teeth and down my throat. I then began to slowly, with sound included, suck out the oil from the android just like a real spider would drain its prey dry.

Before I could drain too much of the now seemingly vital liquid I was shoved off my prey with the words "What do you THINK you're doing? This isn't a time to eat…or whatever it was you were just attempting!" Recognizing the voice as GlaDOS, my rational side hit me back like a sledgehammer to the skull—my hands went my mouth as I met GlaDOS's now-yellow optics with widened eye and optic, feeling oil dripping off of my open mouth like I had become a cannibal due to revenge or…some other emotion I couldn't locate right now. I felt _really_ sick, but I put the bile aside for a possible later use as I saw a shimmer in the air just behind GlaDOS's position—the second android.

"Behind you!" I quickly shouted, the oil still in my mouth making it sound like an unidentifiable gurgle. She understood, however, as she quickly spun around with claws bared, slicing right through the torso of the now-halved android, more oil drenching the room in a black coat of blood and slightly acidic chemicals. My teeth suddenly bared themselves as I saw the blood spill, but I quickly repressed it when the thoughts of my _previous_ meal came back to me.

It was done—we had defeated the strike team that had been sent most likely by OlaTOS to kill us. As the android body fell to the ground, GlaDOS retracted her claws back into her hands and she turned towards me, a questionable expression easily detectable on her face.

"How could _you_ see that while I couldn't? The androids were using the Optical Veil Function Disk to cloak themselves from all mechanical sensors, yet you were able to strike them as if they were in plain sight."

"I…guess…it was because…I relied on more…organic forms of…detection." I was breathing heavily with each word I spoke in order to prevent an accidental upchuck of oil and coffee grounds. .

"Hmmm," GlaDOS stroked her chin with her right hand as she thought of this while moving to Atlas's location in order to help him out of his debris, "That could work, but the accuracy of the senses would be significantly reduced due to the manner of stealth these androids were taking." As she finished this, GlaDOS lifted the huge crate of supplies Atlas was stuck under with both hands, allowing the robot to crawl out and shakily stand up. I could see a few bends on his legs that shouldn't be there, making me wince.

"We should probably clear this place out," GlaDOS continued as she helped P-Body escape her debris prison, the female robot rubbing the top of her head carefully as I saw a large dent in her frame, "When OlaTOS sees that this attack failed, she will most likely send down stronger troops to obliterate the place."

"Would she…really do that?" I questioned as I deactivated the Spider-Limb Function from my Archives, the process taking a couple of concentrated seconds as my feet came into full contact with the ground again.

"I created her, Carthage—I know how she works and how she reacts to things. I just didn't suspect I would be going AGAINST her one day." As she spoke, GlaDOS brushed as much of the oil that got onto her chrome body as possible before flicking the remainder off of her hands as if the substance was a piece of gunk—which it sure seemed like to me.

"The only thing I can't understand is this sensory advantage you seem to have over me, " she continued as she started pacing around the room, ignoring the many pieces of android parts that were still coating the floor with machine oil.

Suddenly, she stopped dead—her optics widened in what looked like alarm before she facepalmed herself with quite a bit of force and started to shake in place. Shocked at this action, I raced over to her position while trying not to trip on android limbs to find that she was actually _laughing_! Atlas and P-Body just stood to one side, looking at the female android like she had gotten a screw loose—which wasn't a lost possibility, now that I thought about it…

"Alright," I asked in a confused tone, "what is so funny that you would laugh in a situation like this?"

"It's…ha ha…quite simple, really…" GlaDOS was able to speak before she fell into another fit of childish giggles while covering her grinning mouth with her hand to prevent too much noise from escaping, "I had forgotten to remember something _childishly_ simple when I modified you from your formerly human state, and it only just came back to me when you demonstrated your bestial human side."

"Well, then," I asked with urgency and impatience in my voice, "what IS it?"

GlaDOS locked eye-to optic with me, lowering her hand down before replying with a whisper and a twinkle in her tone.

"The human soul…"

_Her hand slammed down on the edge of her throne in anger, the force of her impact causing a small dent in the metal plating. The pain came back quickly but she ignored it through the cover of her rage._

_How could her strike team have failed so miserably? They had been equipped with the Optical Veil Function Disk for a silent infiltration run and had gotten past the cameras with ease before engaging the primary targets in a singular room—and they had been dominated in close-quarters combat. OlaTOS shook her head in both amazement and confusion as she sat further back on her throne, the wires attached to her back adjusting accordingly to accommodate her change in position. Snapping her fingers twice, she summoned a virtual screen display of Aperture's levels, red, blue and white glows indicating which areas she controlled, which areas her enemy controlled and which areas were neutral ground, respectively._

_As OlaTOS observed the new growth in her domain, she reflected on her previous anger—the androids she had sent down were actually older models, so they would naturally be at a lower combat capability then what she was currently developing. She just didn't expect them to be THIS bad in combat. Bringing up a side screen, she activated a meltdown sequence in the specific Enrichment Sphere GlaDOS and the boy currently resided. This would destroy the sphere and anything near its position, clearing the path for her conquest of Aperture's entirety. If she had to blow up a few more testing areas along the way, so be it—she could always rebuild and remodel from the human designers' schematics of this place. They wouldn't mind while they rested in their little graves… _

_A sudden blip alerted her to a notification sidebar on the top left of the display. Bringing that up while closing the previous sidebar, the words ROBOT SUIT 80% COMPLETE flashed in front of her optics. Grinning at the speed which her plans were coming together, she then noticed another set of words beneath them; SPACE PROBE MISSION COMPLETE—PRIMARY TARGET COLLECTED FROM EARTH ORBIT._

_OlaTOS chuckled darkly as she remembered exactly WHO she had picked up with that probe. She would need his advice—or at least his body in order to increase her current powers. _

_"__**You've dealt with many things, GlaDOS**_," OlaTOS muttered to herself as she closed the display and cracked each of her knuckles individually, "**_But I doubt you've faced something as massively moronic as this…_**"

* * *

**Woohoo! It's good to be back! **

**Well, that's that for now. I will do my best to update more regularly from now on (I want to get this done probably as much as you all want to see it end), so don't worry!**

**Draconos is taking off!**


	14. Chapter 13: Friends In Strange Places

**Hello, all! Happy Chinese New Year (to those of you who celebrate it)! Welcome to the Year of the Snake (which, according to lore, is a friend of the dragon!)**

**Now, to avoid confusion, I will say now that I have put a small time-jump between this chapter and the last one. It's just a couple of weeks, but I feel I should note it here (it is also mentioned in the chapter).**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Portal, Portal 2, GlaDOS, Atlas, P-Body, Wheately, Aperture Science, any Aperture Science creations, the Half-Life series, or anything else Valve has created. I DO own Carthage, the Function Disks and OlaTOS.**

**Onward to the Chapter!**

* * *

Man, how much more of this would we have to take?

It seems like it's been about…a week or two since GlaDOS, Atlas, P-Body and I fled the Enrichment Sphere we had resided in just before it completely collapsed on itself due to, what GlaDOS called, internal structural meltdown. We were able to grab a good supply of weapons and gadgets, as well as all the Function Disks we had "liberated" from OlaTOS"s grasp before the place was leveled, but having the sphere gone was still a big blow to us. GlaDOS was especially pissed off at this event, almost physically harming Atlas when he tried to comfort her afterwards and calling him a "useless automaton that SHOULD have remained scrap metal". GlaDOS had apologized to Atlas a bit later with good intentions despite not-so-strong tone of voice, but it seems the blue-eyed robot still held a grudge against his creator, which I could understand from an emotional level but I couldn't understand on a logical level.

We've had to travel along hidden pathways up the 1950's Aperture and have almost reached the 1960's Aperture, using portals whenever we could to gain extra time—we all knew our time was limited before OlaTOS found us or we died from exhaustion. We are all becoming jumpy at any sound, fearing the next shadow we saw or the next door we opened would contain OlaTOS's Lethal Military Androids. I didn't have time to explore this level of Aperture, but I was sure GlaDOS, Atlas and P-Body had seen it all before. Our hands were constantly near our weapons and everyone holds their breath at each step we take, our eyes constantly searching around ourselves like the countless cameras that OlaTOS had doubtless scattered across the higher levels of the facility to keep watch for our return…if we could ever GET UP THERE!

I leaned against a catwalk railing, taking a momentary rest as we ambled down in single-file from a secret passage through two test chambers into a spot closer to the 1960's Aperture exit. Atlas, who was at the back of the line, saw my movement and patted me on the back before hoisting me back up before him to continue forward.

"I want to solve this problem just as much as you do," the blue-eyed robot said with a twinkle showing in his outer optic, "but that doesn't mean slacking off, you know."

"I was NOT slacking off, Atlas," I replied with a glare from my human eye as I quickly starting walking forward again, "I was merely regaining composure before our next encounter." A shrug of Atlas's shoulders indicated he probably saw beyond the weak tone of that remark or decided to forget it entirely-I couldn't figure out which.

Over the past few weeks, Atlas and I had become fast friends in spite of the impending danger we all faced. I assumed this was because P-Body had already heard most of Atlas's antics already, and GlaDOS just couldn't understand their human-like actions even with an android body that _supposedly_ could hear their voices and understand them. P-Body, on the other hand, spoke more often to GlaDOS than to her testing companion, treating me as a source of equality between the two spectrums our group had. I liked her because she showed a rational side to Atlas's comic relief. I was beginning to judge these three machines as family-like figures—GlaDOS would be a hardworking mother with a strong belief in her own rights, Atlas would be the comical brother who wanted to just have a good time but also knew danger when he saw it, and P-Body would be the kind and pleasing sister that never spoke out against others unless she felt they deserved it.

"Enough of that, both of you," GlaDOS called back to us without stopping or slowing down, her silver hands grasping the delicate railings with each step on the catwalk she took, "I do not want to keep watch over the two of you and focus on our main goal at the same time." Atlas and I shook our heads simultaneously as we followed her, P-Body bringing up the rear behind Atlas without saying anything during the entire conversation.

A few minutes later, we had crossed the catwalk and the door on the other side automatically opened for us as we entered a higher-level testing chamber of the 1960's Aperture. This one seemed, from first glance, to test nothing at all—there were no easy-to-reach portable surfaces or gel substances to test, not even a Weighted Storage Cube to move around, which I really hated because I had grown quite proficient with moving heavy materials over the last few trips we had to make. There were only a few higher-level walls with small portable surfaces that seemed barely large enough to even have a portal placed on them. Everything stunk of 50-year usage, but I had grown quite used to that smell by now.

"Well," GlaDOS announced as we all entered the center area of the chamber, "this is just as good as any OTHER place we might be at, considering our current problems."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Atlas then whispered to me with a roll of his optic, which caused the both of us to chortle slightly. P-Body just shook her head as GlaDOS turned back to us, most likely hearing our reaction rather than Atlas's comment. I immediately sensed something wasn't exactly right, that GlaDOS did not take this as a mere child-like action. Perhaps she was more emotionally unstable then I thought…

"If you think this is a situation that can be used for the human emotion of laughter," she said as her optics started to shift from their normal yellow to the blood-red color of no emotion, "then perhaps you both should consider the facts that we have almost NOTHING to care for or laugh about since…_SHE_…took over this place and forced me to adapt into a barely-tested android body whilst abusing me with human insults that remind me only too well of my disgusting first few months of existence that I do NOT wish to remember. Perhaps you would like to, as the humans say, be in my shoes for a change; who knows, you just might learn something USEFUL TO YOUR BLASTED, HARD-WIRED CEREBRAL CORTEX!"

By this point GlaDOS's eyes now seemed almost alight with red as she grabbed Atlas by his head and started to forcefully rip it out of his body. Atlas, of course, fought back by trying to push GlaDOS's body away, but he wasn't having much luck. P-Body then tried to race between the two robots and sort it out, only to be slammed back by GlaDOS throwing Atlas's body to the ground, her hands now grasping the robot's head like a human would hold a beach ball. And speaking of balls, I almost laughed out loud when I saw GlaDOS dribbling Atlas's head like a basketball, the robot screaming bloody murder in what could either be pain or fear.

This spectacle, funny though it was, lasted only for a few moments before GlaDOS grabbed Atlas's immobile body and forcefully shoved the head back in its place with an audible POP and a quick shout of pain from Atlas. The blue robot quickly stepped back from the still-raging android before getting angry as well.

"What the heck was that for?" he shouted at GlaDOS, "I was only trying to be funny and get everyone's minds off of the danger!"

"Humor," GlaDOS seemed to continue on without noticing the comment, "as you should well know by now, is *NOT* SCIENCE! It is not even CLOSE to science! I don't understand why you would even THINK such a human-based emotion would be similar to-"

"Quiet, all of you!" I shouted, which shut up both sides as everyone looked at me in shock or confusion. GlaDOS's eyes were still flashing red but were mixing with her regular yellow—she had calmed down a bit, which was good for what I was about to say.

"Listen," I continued, "I know its been a living hell for us the past few weeks—and longer for some of you," Here I shot a glance at GlaDOS which she caught because her face darkened somewhat, "But we're going to have to stick together if we want to get through this. I know I am the newest member of this group and have less experience than the rest of you on how Aperture works, but I know our combined intelligence and strength can get us through this crisis. As was said by the human Benjamin Franklin, 'We must surely hang together or we will all hang separately'. Got it?" I ended my speech with my human eyebrow raised in a gesture of question, to which the three robots responded with nods, sighs or half-hearted grumbles.

"As long as _she_ doesn't try to kill me when my guard is down," Atlas muttered, "I'll be fine." P-Body and I shook our heads at this remark as GlaDOS huffed before continuing to look around the room and find a way out—besides the conventional way of using the portable surfaces, of course.

After a few silent minutes of searching the different walls and panels around us, P-Body signaled us over to the eastern wall where she had found a slightly ajar panel in the wall that was just about the size of a regular door. The four of us were able to pry it further open to the point where we, with a huge gulp of air in our lungs and shrinking our lower bodies, could pass through. We couldn't see much of anything inside, just a few shapes that broke through the blackness of the interior.

"I'll go inside and take a quick look," Atlas said as he started to shift inside the panel, "Be back before you know it."

"Whoa there, not so fast," I quickly pulled Atlas back via his right hand before he went completely inside the darkness, "Shouldn't we plan this out first?"

"What's there to plan out? I mean, _someone_ should go in there, and I'm thinking I should. Do you think _you_ should?"

"Well…no…but…" I was at a loss as how to generate a response to this counter, and I couldn't think of a reason as to why I should go inside instead of Atlas. The human side of my brain wanted him to be safe—I seemed to treat him like a younger brother who had a rash personality and wanted to see things for himself.

Before I could speak, however, a sudden "KAW KAW, KAW KAW!" directed from the ceiling made GlaDOS fly into a terror-filled state as a crow the size of my hand descended onto the female android with talons extended. GlaDOS tried to swat it away while crying "Go AWAY! Shoo! Someone kill this thing QUICKLY!", to which no one moved for a few seconds. P-Body then obediently tried to draw the bird away from GlaDOS with her own hands while Atlas just cracked up and clutched his knees with his hands like he were out of breath.

"It's just a bird, GlaDOS," I said as I quickly raced over to her location, "What's there to fear?"

"This isn't just ANY-_OW_-bird, you imbecile! This bird-_OUCH_-_knows things that it shouldn't_." Each exclamation from GlaDOS came from a scratch caused by the crow as it attacked the android and caused visible talon marks on the chrome surface. Each scratch sent a chill up my spine—it sounded just like nails on a chalkboard. I was able to contribute to defending against the avian with both of my hands only to find the bird fly off of GlaDOS and dive on ME instead! Shouting out, I quickly covered my eyes with my own hands as I felt the talons start slicing into my arms while I stumbled backwards inadvertently towards the open panel wall.

Due to my eyes being covered by my arms to protect them from being gouged out, I had lost the capability of seeing where I was going. Because of this, I didn't realize I had changed directions until I tripped over my own two feet and fell backward _inside the panel wall_! As soon as I landed, emitting a sharp "oof!" on my landing, the crow flew off from the surrounding darkness back into the light, where GlaDOS's renewed shrieks of terror combined with the calls of the bird to create an interesting melody, along with that grinding sound.

Wait…_grinding sound_?

I quickly stood back up to find the paneled wall somehow being shut on its own with no visible source that was closing it! Shouting in surprise and fear, I quickly grasped the edge of the wall with my hands and pulled with all my might, feeling my human and mechanical limbs twist and burn with exertion, but to no avail. I had to draw my hands back before the wall crushed them as it silently closed up completely, a small cloud of dust falling from above being the only indication of anything changing.

"GlaDOS! Atlas! P-Body! Can you hear me?" I shouted as I pounded as hard as I could on the wall with my fists, but it felt like hitting a trampoline—my hands just rebounded off the wall with almost no sound being caused for my efforts. I couldn't hear anyone knocking back on the other side, which greatly diminished my hopes of rescue. Regardless, I pounded on the door until my fists were numb with pain and exertion, but the logical side of my mind dictated there was no hope for me to continue on like this. Sighing, I turned around and looked into the blackness in front of me, activating my night vision sensor in my optic to break the blackness.

What I did NOT expect was the silhouette of a turret to suddenly appear a short distance from my face. Reacting instantly I dived to the side to avoid fire, crouching for a few seconds on the ground before I slowly stood up again. It was then that I noticed the turret had not fired a single shot—what's more, it looked old and deactivated, my optic detecting a slight layer of dust on the turret. I shook my head in surprise—was I really becoming _that_ paranoid? I then looked further around me to find I was in a small chamber with only one walkway that lacked railings in front of me leading out through a line of deactivated turrets. Seeing there was no other path, I had to go this way, though I did not like the way the turrets seemed to stare at me like I was a possible target to kill.

'_Is anyone there_?'

Hold on, I didn't say that? That was a turret-voice—was one of these turrets really activated after all? I started to walk faster, noticing that either the path was longer than I had thought or some kind of trick was going on…

'_Could you come over here?_'

That came from the other side now—_two_ turrets activated? I started to break into a light jog, but I still hadn't reached the end of the walkway—my night vision couldn't see that far ahead. I had to be careful how I ran to avoid falling down the sides into the seemingly bottomless pit below.

'_Hello…friend…_'

All right, THAT was creepy enough to make me truly scared. I now broke out into a full-paced run, my breathing rate quickly increasing as my heart began to pump faster to make me move quicker.

'_There you are…_'

Gaahhh…don't shoot me! Just keep running and you'll make it—how long is this path anyway!?

'_I saw it. It was an accident…_'

Ignore them, ignore them…wait, are they ALL activated now? I'm seeing red lasers lined up everywhere!

I pushed my metal limbs harder then before, feeling like I was flying across the walkway, no longer caring about the possibility of falling to my death because I wanted to GET OUT OF HERE!

'_That was nobody's fault…she was provoking you…_'

A shriek of fear slipped past my lips as I pushed myself to the maximum speed I could exert, feeling my mechanical limbs begin to ache under heavy strain and my human limbs begin to burn with running pain. No longer caring about where I was going as red lasers began to fill my vision, I just had to get out, must get out, get out, get out, GET OUT!

Just then a glowing green and orange sphere appeared on what _seemed_ like the end of the catwalk. With no time to react, and no real thought as to what it was, I collided with it head on.

ZZZZZZAAAAAPPPPP!

'_Good night…_'

**(AUTHOR'S NOTE (Hey, my first one!); This next scene is one that took me a while to figure out and write, and it may seem controversial to some of you if you have studied the Portal lore well. If any of you have comments on it or how you think it could be improved, please let me know. I will consider all suggestions sent to me (but NOT flames!).)**

Darkness…nothing but darkness…nothing else can be seen by my eyes or sensed by my brain.

This feels somewhat comforting to my mind, considering what I've just gone through.

I…_feel_ okay…but that could be one of many possible statements of the word…

Wow…everything here feels so peaceful…I could just rest here forever and not care about anything else…

"_Hmmm…Perhaps…a detour can be arranged…after all._"

Wait…who said that? The voice sounded gravelly and old, but powerful as well…

Just then my vision turned bright white, blinding me for a moment as I heard footsteps approaching my location. Despite the bright light, I could soon clearly see a middle-aged man come to me, stopping a few feet from where I was so I could see him clearly. He seemed to wear a gray-blue suit with a striped red tie, his skin seemed quite pale and his eyes were a dim green that seemed to glow with some form of power. He held a black briefcase in his left hand while straightening his tie with his right before locking eye contact with me for a few seconds, his face a monotone expression.

"_So, Carthage…"_ the man then spoke, his voice seeming to stress the wrong syllables for words and carrying a gravel-like tone, "_Born from the ideas of a machine yet created with the distinct personality of a human your age…I am surprised at how human you have become over this time._"

I could not respond to this statement, but I felt that, for some reason, I didn't have to. The man then continued to speak as the area around us suddenly shifted to what looked like the central chamber where GlaDOS once was…and it looked like she, or an older version of her, was connected to the server. How could this be possible?

"_While I have never shown much…interest…in the rival corporation known as Aperture Science, I feel that your case is one to take notice of. These are troubling times indeed, and I am afraid your…former kind…is not having the best of days currently._"

Another shift occurred, this time the man was standing on a hilltop looking over my home village when it had just been destroyed. Columns of smoke rose into the sky as my ears detected gunfire and the screams of the dying or gunned down. I felt slightly sick to relive this memory but I couldn't show it as my body seemed to be in some kind of stasis.

"_You may still be asking yourself on what your true purpose is, what your…future holds. Whilst I cannot answer this question myself,_' Here the man straightened his tie again and cleared his throat, '_I CAN direct you to someone who will._'

Another shift, but the two of us were now on a world I did not know of—the sky shifted between purple, blue and green and echoed with the cries of what _sounded_ like manta rays. When I focused back on the man I saw him to seemingly be in two places at once, his face appearing as a close-up to the right side of my frontal vision while he also stood facing me on a platform made up of a stone-like organic substance.

"_I believe your…child-like mind…will be unable to comprehend the gravity of the whole situation before you, but I have spoken to my…employers about your case, and they believe you show…potential to their cause._"

Suddenly we were back in Aperture, but I now saw GlaDOS, Atlas and P-Body frozen in time as they were walking up a set of steps into the current layer of Aperture. My heart leaped as I saw they were all right, but I felt worried about them as the scene shifted closer to them—Atlas seemed to look much angrier then before whilst GlaDOS had noticeable scratch marks from the crow and was slightly shaking as she walked in what looked like paranoid fear. GlaDOS held a two-handed Gatling gun in her hands, probably liberated from a Military Android, while the two robots each held dual-wield pistols.

"_As for your…hmm, creator,_" the man then spoke out as he appeared right beside GlaDOS and looked at her as he spoke to me, "_She has the spirit of one who fights on against all odds. She reminds me of myself, to an extent, but I am sure even your human-based instincts can comprehend that._"

Another shift in space-time found us back in the eternal darkness, only this time another portal from before was flashing right beside the man, who took no notice of the strange object as he straightened his tie once again.

"_I understand completely if all of this is confusing or strange for you, so I will leave you with this task; deliver your creator to her rightful place whilst protecting the knowledge she has kept in her mind all these years. If you succeed then you shall be…rewarded as my…contractors, yes, see fit. If not…_" At this point he broke out into the first smile I had seen him with, a strange twinkle emerging in his eyes for a brief moment before he continued, "_well, let's just say I have other clients I should be getting to._"

A door suddenly opened in the darkness, the man walking entering it with a calm posture and disappearing instantly, briefcase and all. A few seconds passed in silence before I reached out to touch the portal with my right hand, the Multi-Purpose Glove reflecting the green glow of the portal.

I felt, in my human heart, that I should do what the man said and get GlaDOS to where she belonged.

_GlaDOS…I'm coming to help you…I'll get you back to the top or die trying._

ZZZZAAAAPPP!

"_Remember, Carthage…I will be watching you…_"

_"So…what exactly was my mission again?" the machine asked, to which she growled in frustration—did she REALLY have to explain her plans to this idiot this many times?_

_"Your plan, fool, is to locate GlaDOS and her two cronies and render them to scrap metal. As for the boy," here she smirked, "Bring him to me alive for the next stage of my plans. Is this too much to ask of you?"_

_"Uh, no, not at all, miss OlaTOS," the machine responded in a British accent, its new body standing at the entrance of OlaTOS's chambers waiting to depart, "I can handle this."_

_"Be sure that you do," OlaTOS responded as she sat back in her throne while keeping eye contact with her new servant, "I have spent enough resources to bring you back from the depths of space and give you this new body. If you ruin my expectations of you, I will not hesitate to destroy you for the moron you are."_

_"I AM NOT A MORON!" the machine suddenly screamed out before regaining composure, instinctively stepping back in preparation for what it thought would be an attack, but OlaTOS merely smiled._

_"Good, good," she said, "you still have your anger after all that time up THERE. That will be helpful for you when dealing with GlaDOS."_

_The machine's eyes narrowed in anger when he heard that name—he had good reason to be made against that woman, after all she had put him through. Oh yes, he had plans for her._

_"Now go, Wheatley," OlaTOS commanded, "Go and destroy!" _

_The former Intelligence Dampening Sphere raced away on the command, his new body sounding heavily against the paneled floor as OlaTOS cackled with evil behind him. _

* * *

**Well, I think I'll end it there for now.**

**As always, read and review! If you have any ideas as how to further the story, let me know and I will consider each suggestion. **

**Draconos is taking off...with serpents traveling on the ground below!**


	15. Chapter 14: The Beginning of the End

**Hello, all! "Let's get ready to rumble!"**

**Yes, this chapter will be the start of the finale, through which this story shall come to a close. But that comes later...**

**DISCLAIMER! I do not own Portal, Portal 2, Aperture Science, GlaDOS, Atlas/P-Body, Wheatley, etc. I DO own Carthage, OlaTOS, the LMA, the Function Disks and the special chambers in Aperture.**

**Oh, one word of warning-this chapter has a LOT of POV switches in it, so be warned. I have tried to space out the switches so that it is easier for you all to read.**

**Onward to the chapter!**

* * *

"For the last time, you don't remember ANYTHING that has happened since you vanished?"

This harsh question was directed at me from GlaDOS soon after she, Atlas and P-Body had found my unconscious body lying on the floor just outside the stairwell to the surface layer of Aperture. I had regained consciousness to find the three staring at me with focused and worried expressions, to which they had later said they had found me somehow _glowing _with some kind of light-green aura that they feared would be radioactive or contaminated. They had not wasted time asking me questions, to which I had few answers—I was not able to recall what I had seen, thought or felt while I was away from when the bird had attacked GlaDOS.

"No, GlaDOS," I snapped back, "I don't remember. And, by the way, how long has it been since we got separated, anyway?" The three robots looked at one another with the emotion of fear and confusion before they responded.

"You vanished two weeks ago, to this day," GlaDOS then told me, "We tried to find you as we went further up Aperture but all our efforts failed. We then moved on upward in hopes that you had found a secret passage or something, but we did not expect you to just _appear_ out of a corner like you did."

I began to feel light-headed as I stared down at the panels while this information was processed—two whole _weeks_ had passed? But it didn't _feel_ that long to me; how long had I been…where I had been? And why couldn't I recall where I had been, anyway? All I could recall was…darkness….green lights…and a gravely voice. A pounding headache began to emerge in my head as I tried to reason out what had happened, but a squeeze on my left shoulder made me stop and look up at GlaDOS again.

"Don't worry about it for now," the robotic AI told me as she drew out the submachine gun she had supposedly "liberated" from a Lethal Military android squad the three had encountered and defeated, "We are close to where I wish to be in order to begin our takedown of OlaTOS. Come, Carthage," she commanded as she shot two portals on different heights of the same paneled wall in order to reach a gap in the ceiling above us, "It's time you returned to our side."

I nodded without a word but with a raised eyebrow, drawing my two whips and giving them a quick test to make sure they still worked before quickly following the android, Atlas and P-Body covering our rear guard as we reached the gap in the panels and slipped through.

* * *

_"Bloody fools," Wheatley spoke to himself, "They're going right where OlaTOS had thought they would."_

_The former Intelligence Dampening Sphere squinted his glowing sky-blue optics at the view screen he held in both his chromed hands before cracking a grin and throwing the device casually backwards. A pair of metal hands reached out from behind him and grabbed the square piece of technology as a Lethal Military Android stepped forward from the squad standing behind Wheatley's position. This android was different, however—it had shoulder plates of lighter silver than the rest of its body and its gray optics shined with additional bits of data having been added to its central hard drive then the regular troops._

_"Commander Wheatley," the android then spoke with a completely robotic male voice while saluting Wheatley with a stiff movement with a free hand, "The troops are ready to be deployed as you see fit. What is your battle plan?" _

_"Ah yes, the plan," Wheatley responded with a chuckle as he grabbed the view screen back from the android commander with some force and quickly double-checked the target's positions, "Here's what we'll do; send a small squad of your forces to this spot in the Archives Chamber" At this Wheatley tapped a section of the 3-D diagram on the view screen, causing a red dot to appear and start flashing. The point was behind the wall of one side of a circular chamber near their current location._

_"When the targets come to the center of the chamber, blow up this part of the wall and send in a squad to distract them—you'll lead that effort. While that's happening, I'll come in through the main door and crush all of them to bits. Its foolproof!" Wheatley pumped his left fist in satisfaction as the android commander looked on in silence._

_"With all respect, Commander," the android leader spoke, his posture never changing, "you do recall what General OlaTOS had said about the boy—to bring him back alive for OlaTOS to reformat."_

_"I KNOW that, you bloody idiot!" Wheatley almost shouted with a glare as he turned to face the commander, "I was just implying it to the rest of them…especially to GlaDOS."_

_"I see," the android commander responded without a single flinch showing in its face as it stared Wheatley down for a few seconds before saluting again and shifting back to the Lethal Military Android squads behind the two of them and directing the battle plan to the soldiers._

_"You COULD have at least given me more intelligent sidekicks when you told me I couldn't do this alone, OlaTOS," Wheatley muttered to himself as the android soldiers begin to move into position, "These people are just stupid!"_

* * *

"We're nearly there," GlaDOS announced from the front as we climbed up a discarded pile of panels and began passing through a open floor panel into a large passage, "Just a little further and we will be ready to begin my takedown plan."

"Don't you mean OUR takedown plan?" I questioned, causing the former AI to wave her hand in a dismissive manner as a response. I glared at GlaDOS's back as I heard Atlas chuckle from behind me; apparently I would have to wait to figure out exactly where we were going. We all slipped out of the panel and followed GlaDOS through the passage to what looked like a larger door with a more armored surface than the regular Aperture door.

"Stop!" GlaDOS then commanded, her right hand gesturing behind her in a "stop" motion as the three of us quickly halted, Atlas hitting my back slightly and causing me to loose my balance and fall to the ground. GlaDOS didn't seem to notice Atlas's action but it felt like she sent a glare his way as she turned fully around.

"This is not the time to be lying on the job, Carthage," she then told me with a seemingly belabored tone, "we're here."

"Where, exactly," I responded as I quickly got back up and made sure all of my pieces were still there, "IS here?" GlaDOS smiled that now-normal human-like smirk before speaking.

"The Archives Chamber of Aperture Science."

As she said this, the door behind her opened with a wave of her hand to reveal a massive dome-like chamber containing, to my eye, countless data files shelved in massive stacks reaching beyond what I could see. The four of us quickly moved inside, the door shutting back behind us with a small _hiss_ of hydraulics. The entire chamber glowed dark red from hidden light sources but countless blue shimmers that showed data files filled with information outmatched the red. GlaDOS seemed to squeal slightly in what _sounded_ like happiness as she quickly went to the center of the chamber, ignoring the countless files around her for something in the center.

It was then that I saw it—a large set of cables and wires connecting extending from the red ceiling shrouded by a strange red mist to a large headset that hung in position in the center of the chamber. While not as large as the set of cables I had seen on GlaDOS's chassis, it was still quite a large set of metal in one spot. GlaDOS did not seem to notice this at all, grabbing the headset and began to put it on. Before it was fully on, however, she quickly took it off and turned around to my position, Atlas and P-Body by my side as well.

"Alright, I'm going to have to trust you three on this. While this headset is on me I will be oblivious to the outside world and inside the network of data files that are stored here. I'm putting you three on guard duty—protect me at ALL costs. Also," she continued as she cradled the helmet in her hands, "do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT attempt, under any circumstances, to wrench the headset off me—breaking the connection to the mainframe like that will have *SERIOUS* side effects to my hard drive. Understand?"

The three of us only nodded in response, already drawing out our weapons and readying them for anything that might come our way.

"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be, as the humans say, 'fishing for information'."

I wanted to inform GlaDOS that the correct phrase was "fishing for men", but GlaDOS had by then slipped the headset completely on her head, the visor completely covering her eyes as it glowed with a blue light. I saw GlaDOS's body visibly shudder and I feared the worst until I saw her smile with what seemed like pure joy before she began to shift her hands around in front of her as if she were selecting from a multitude of files only visible to her eyes. Frowning in worry but believing she would be okay, I quickly went to a position directly in front of GlaDOS, Atlas and P-Body moving into a triangle formation around the center of the chamber.

* * *

_The commander nodded to himself as he looked through a gap in the paneled walls—the targets had adopted a triangle formation to protect their leader whilst she was scouring for whatever she wanted. He raised a hand, causing one of the Lethal Military Androids behind him to race to the wall and plant several small, circular charges on the wall before them in a circle before retreating back and drawing a small trigger box with a switch that would trigger the charges. The commander then stepped back several paces and drew his weapon along with the other androids, himself holding a custom-made set of dual-wield AK-47's with rapid-fire capabilities. _

_A quick nod to the android holding the trigger switch, and a massive BOOM roared in their ears as the charges blew simultaneously and with direct force, causing a large hole in the wall that the androids raced through with guns already blazing, the commander at the rear with the intention to subdue the other robots and get the boy back to OlaTOS by all means necessary._

* * *

_Wheatley laughed slightly as he heard the explosion through the main door of the Archives Chamber—their plan was working out well so far. They would be too distracted to notice him and he would have the upper hand against them as he paid them a much-deserved visit. _

_"Just you wait, GlaDOS," the male android whispered as he approached the main door while readying a wrist-launcher containing small rockets on his left hand while clenching his massive right fist, "Now you'll see how BLOODY MASSIVE I really am!"_

* * *

The explosion was the first thing that I heard and felt a section on the right of the Archive Chamber wall was blown to pieces, revealing a large circular hole into the chamber. Data files that had been blown apart now littered the ground as I heard multiple _CRACKS_ of guns emerge from the direction of the explosion moments before a squad of Lethal Military Androids appeared in my range of sight, bullets already streaming toward Atlas and P-Body to force them back. I quickly lost my initial feeling of surprise as I drew my whips and readied them for combat, leaping forward to draw the android's fire…only to have each of my whips blasted out of my hands by bullets! Jumping back to avoid more fire, I searched for the cause of the shots to find a single of the Lethal Military androids racing towards me…but something wasn't right about this one. Its shoulder plates were colored a lighter silver and it also carried better weaponry and armor, but the thing that caught my attention were its eyes—they seemed to shine with experience that the other androids I had faced did not have. I leaped to the right, rolled into a crouching position and leapt at the android, drawing the metallic claws that GlaDOS had showed to me so long ago as I tried to slash the AK-47's right out of the android's hands. The android, however, quickly drew its guns into an "X" in front of its chest, effectively blocking my claws from hitting his body. The two of us grappled for control, both of us trying to throw the other to the ground and gain the upper hand.

And then…the unexpected…

"_Android Carthage, you are herby subject, under Aperture Science Code 4817B to be reformatted for General OlaTOS's purposes. You WILL submit or face immediate termination._"

That voice—coming from this android, it sounded completely metallic and without emotion, yet it also sounded quite human at the same time. What the _heck_ has OlaTOS done over the past few weeks?

"Like hell I'll go back to who I once was," I replied with a grunt as I leaped backward out of the tussle before slicing the paneled floor below me with my claws to create a wave of sparks that I flung at my foe's position with the object of distraction. The ploy worked as the android quickly shifted back a couple of steps to prevent possible combustion from the sparks, allowing me to aim a flying talon-kick directly at its chest. To my surprise, however, the android suddenly did a full split onto the floor, my ears detecting no grunts of possible pain from such a quick action. I had no time to comment on this action as my attack now sliced through mere air and the android quickly brought his left leg back toward itself before launching a sweep-kick that sent me crashing into the floor on my left shoulder pretty hard. From the back of my vision I could see GlaDOS flicking at different imaginary buttons only she could see—how much more time did she need with that, anyway? She also didn't seem to notice the battle going on around her, even as Atlas and P-Body were shouting at one another to stay together and move to help me with my problem.

"_You have little choice in the matter of your fate, considering your recent actions against OlaTOS and her creations,_" the android then spoke as it straddled my body and pinned my hands beneath its own, its face mere inches from my own, "_I would suggest you think your next words carefully—they might just be your last._"

OK, this _thing_ just looked so _creepy_ talking like a regular human but with that tone of voice. I was starting to get pretty scared of this guy, but my mechanical side forced me to focus on winning this battle—I could hear Atlas and P-Body returning fire while also moving closer to my position, but it would take them a few seconds to fully join me. Tuurning back to the andoird still holding my body down with its own, I then tried an already-used tactic…

* * *

_The commander's plan was working to perfection; the boy was not much of a challenge to subdue, and once he was completely brought down he would be easier to bring back to OlaTOS. It seemed almost TOO easy…_

_WHAM! _

[SYSTEM ERROR] [Cranial Damage detected] [RECALCULATING]

_Through the mental fog that resulted from the boy's attack, the commander rethought his strategy as his body was flung back by the force of the strike. He felt the boy grasp his neck with both hands whilst his own body was in midair and grip hard as the boy shifted both of their body's weight so that he was on top and gripping the commander's neck in a chokehold. Surprisingly, after an almost crushing grip, the boy quickly released the hold and seemed to step back a pace or two as four spider limbs burst out of his back, each limb glinting silver with the red light. The boy quickly stood up on the back two limbs to a final vertical height of almost 10 feet before swinging both front limbs at an arc down at the commander. The commander quickly rolled to the left as the limbs slammed down onto its previous location and penetrated into the panels themselves before rising back into the air and striking again. The commander was barely able to dodge this second attack, just jumping out of the way while drawing his guns and opening fire at the boy's body, hoping to distract the boy for a few precious seconds. The boy, however, didn't block the attack in any way, the bullets slamming around the chest and causing the boy to stumble back two steps before he recovered and jumped to the side, landing on the nearby wall and starting to walk on it like a real spder would. The commander stared in surprise and then smirked—so this would be more challenging then he had imagined. He smirked as he ran towards the wall—he liked a challenge in his opponents._

* * *

My eyes widened as I saw this new android leap onto the wall and _begin to walk on it without falling_—that was logically impossible! Had OlaTOS copied, or even upgraded my Spider-Limb Function Disk in some way?

OK, ignore the fact that this android is walking on walls like you, just focus on the battle.

"_Hmmm…I expected a challenge from you, but you cannot win a battle by only running away. Where's your pride to your supposed maker? Why don't you get up and fight?_" The android slowly walked up the side of the wall as it spoke, its eyes never leaving my own and its guns always at the ready. I could hear Atlas and P-Body sounding like they were gaining ground on their enemy. If only I could say the same thing about mine—the comments being sent my way made me clench my teeth in frustration.

"_That's right, get mad. Show me your full potential before I bring you to your knees in submission._"

Alright, now I was annoyed. I quickly scurried forward on my spider limbs as best I could, sidestepping to avoid bullets fired from the android's guns as I quickly closed the gap between the two of us, anger starting to flow through me.

* * *

_"Burst in, shoot the robots first, and THEN blow up GlaDOS. Ok, I think I can handle that." Wheatley muttered to himself as he stood by the main door, limbs tensed up as he waited for the word to show his strength to them all. He listened in to the transmitter plugged into his right ear as he could hear the battle going on inside—and it seemed like it was almost time for him to bust his moves and make his day._

_"This sure beats looking after smelly, dirty humans any day."_

* * *

_GlaDOS floated through a stream of data code that moved like an elevator shaft up the continuous plane of binary code her mind currently inhabited. Numbers flashed by her glowing white body as she continued her ascent, stopping once to reach through a grouping of code and grab a single blue orb held between four solid cables of code and place it in her right palm, closing her hand around it as he quickly shot upward again to continue her progress._

_She was gathering the right bits of data—only a few more pieces and she could construct the perfect plan to take OlaTOS down once and for all. Smirking as she shot down a faster stream of code, she arrived at a preconstructed area containing a pulsating mass of code that constantly changed systems and levels. It made GlaDOS almost squeal with pleasure at seeing such a complex system of technology, but this was what she needed. What GlaDOS was looking for, however, was not the orb itself, called a binary core, but the power it contained—she would need that powering order to power her plan. GlaDOS hovered silently next to the core as she drew a device that looked much like a human vacuum cleaner and leveled it at the orb. Activating the device, she saw the energy of the core, appearing as a singular, serpentine stream of code started to remove itself from the core and into the device. In just a few seconds, the device filled to maximum capacity. _

_"Excellent," GlaDOS chuckled to herself as she replaced the device._

_"Not so much for you as for me!" A familiar voice responded behind her._

* * *

_The commander stepped back quickly from the boy's quick swipes, firing a few shots as a distraction before ripping a data file out of the wall they both stood on and hurling it as a projectile, not caring whether it hit or not as he repeated the process again and again, sending file after file at the boy in an attempt to keep him immobilized. The plan seemed to work as the boy began to falter in his steps due to constant blocking, beginning to stumble on the wall as he lost concentration. One more slip should do it…_

* * *

'Come on, don't slip, _don't slip_!'

I slammed my limbs down all the further into the wall of data files below me without care exactly what I was shattering as I tried to avoid falling onto what looked like a dangerous landing, even with my Spider-Limbs in finction.

"You are REALLY beginning to annoy me, you know," I shouted at my opponent, who paused in throwing a data file at me to tilt his head in curiousity. "Why are you even trying to hurt me? Dosen't OlaTOS have enough experimental projects that she can work on?"

"_She does have other projects she can 'work on',_" the android responded while holding the file he had in one hand, "_But this one is the most…profitable of the bunch, as well as the most powerful one that she can control._" At this, the machine threw the grabbed file at me with a heavy grunt, the piece of data grazing my human cheek before I could react. I winced at the spill of blood and the pain of the cut, but I held my ground as best as I could. Below, I could hear Altas and P-Body shouting orders to one another on the chamber floor below, and I felt a twist in my stomach—were they all right? Were they in trouble? Did they need my help? And what about GlaDOS—are these androids after her specifically or someone else? Maybe I should—

"_…now, Commander! Bring them down!_"

Wait, what the _hell_ is that thing saying now—

_BROOOM! _

A massive explosion of yellow and orange fire emenated from the main chamber entrance as broken data files from the floor suddenly became projectiles with strong kinetic forces. I barely had time to register the explosion in my logistics processors before I felt the wall buckle below me and cause me to fall towards the ground with data shards and broken panels forming a scattered ground that would most likely break the limb I fall onto on impact…

* * *

"_All the targets are in position now, Commander! Bring them down!_"

_Wheatley laughed as he heard this transmission—it was about time this event got interesting. Readying his wrist rocket launcher, he mentally activated his Function Disk, glowing yellow as his wrist launcher lit up with a matching aura; this Disk was a donation from OlaTOS and would give any of his weaponry a boost in pure destructive power via increasing the speed, piercing and explosive capabilities of the projectile being fired. When the rocket seemed almost blinding with yellow light, Wheatley aimed the dot at the center of the doors to the chamber and squeezed the trigger. _

_The recoil was strong, but the explosion was much stronger; Wheatley could feel the shockwave ripple through his limbs as an yellow and orange flame burst into the Archives Chamber. Not wasting any time, he charged through the hole he created, whipping out a massive chain gun suited for his new strength, his Function Disk causing the bullets to become supercharged with power as they were fired out of the gun in a stream of metal at the robots before him…_

* * *

_GlaDOS back flipped out of the way of a lashing metal tentacle that slammed into a data wall and reduced it to a disabled pile of numbers, a few single numbers whizzing past GlaDOS's face but not damaging her outer structure. A look of anger and fear was plastered onto her face as she saw her adversary stroll forward, the tentacle retracting back into a slot on a chromed hand with massive claws, yellow optics glowing above the hand as OlaTOS stepped completely into view, her arms morphed into massive, organic-like hands with what looked like vines going up her arms up to her shoulders, the heaviest concentration of vines being on OlaTOS's hands. A black Function Disk glowed at the android's chest plate and seemed to throb with power and energy that connected to the vines on her arms. _

_"I am surprised, GlaDOS," OlaTOS taunted as she shot another tentacle at GlaDOS's position, "I suspected you to be more prepared if you were to face me in the data stream."_

_The data stream—GlaDOS understood the schematics of this place, how it was unbound by the limits of physics and reality. The data stream allowed a user to transform him/herself into any form they so desired…provided they could control it. Right now, however, GlaDOS's mind was focused on escaping OlaTOS and putting the pieces she had collected into a device to take OlaTOS down._

_"I must admit that I did not expect your advanced knowledge of the data stream, OlaTOS," GlaDOS responded as she leapt up and wall-jumped to do a swift kick to OlaTOs, knocking the hostile female back a few inches as GlaDOS fired two energy blasts from her hands transformed by the data stream's power into cannons. _

_"I know much more than you think, you fool; even how to destroy you where you stand!" With these words, OlaTOS suddenly charged up a large orb of black energy crackling with lightning and launched it at GlaDOS, residual energy making the ball look like a comet. GlaDOS had barley any time to react to this attack… _

* * *

**And CUT! That's a good starter for now.**

**Once again, please Read, Review and Enjoy! Post any comments you have about the story (as well as ways you think it can be improved). I will be unable to read comments for about a week after this story's posting, though; a school trip of mine is going to Cambodia tomorrow for a week (yeah, fun). I will return to this community when the trip is done.**

**Draconos is taking off...into a new adventure!**


	16. Chapter 15: All Is Lost or is it?

**Once again, I return to entertain the masses! Here's the next chapter, in all of its glory!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GlaDOS, Atlas, P-Body Wheatley, Space Core, Portal, Portal 2, Valve and anything they own. I DO own Carthage, OlaTOS, the android commander, the Function Disks and anything else not already created.**

**WARNING! WARNING! The following chapter contains violent actions, somewhat graphic scenes and possible death. Viewer discretion is advised.**

**Onward to the Chapter!**

* * *

Strange…I don't feel much pain at all right now, considering I just fell on a pile of cracked data shards that stabbed me in the back—thankfully it was nowhere near my spinal cord or I would be in _much_ deeper trouble. I could hear, dimly, the _whirr_ of a large gun as it ceased firing, the _clink_ of multiple bullet shells hitting the chamber floor at the same time. I couldn't see much due to the pain as well as a large cloud of smoke that most likely came from multiple explosions occurring in the same area.

_Thump…Thump…Thump…_

Wait, who's making that noise? I know it isn't me…is it that "Commander" the android I was fighting earlier spoke of? And what about _him_—was he harmed in any way by the explosion?

"_Ah, there you are, Commander. I must admit, your actions seemed a little overdone there…_"

Oh, _there_ he is; it sounds like he is closer to the center of the chamber then me—now if only I could turn my head to see him, I could-

[WARNING! WARNING! MAJOR BLOOD LOSS DETECTED IN LEGS! FRACTURES DETECTED IN SPINAL CORD!] [REPAIRS REQUIRED IMMEADITLY!]

Well…_shit_…that's not good…but I still need to defend GlaDOS from these androids...just got to get _up_ first…

* * *

"_Ah, there you are, Commander. I must admit, your actions seemed a little overdone there…"_

_Wheatley ignored the seemingly sarcastic point of that comment as he positioned the chaingun onto his left hand, placing his right one above his optics to squint further into the smoke cloud caused by his own weaponry. _

"_We believe that all targets have been neutralized or disabled as you see fit, Commander," the android leader continued as the former Intelligence-Dampening Sphere waded deeper into the smoke, his sky-blue optic flashing with light as he scanned the area in infrared, easily picking up the heat signatures of the boy and GlaDOS—and it was the second target that he wanted to see alive. _

"_Well then," Wheatley said as he cracked the knuckles on his massive right fist without using his left fist, "let's get started with a trip down memory lane!"_

"_Not so fast, Commander," the android leader countered as it raised a chrome hand against Wheatley. "General OlaTOS requested that she personally see the 'trip down memory lane', as you said, that you will inflict onto her adversary."_

"_And? Why isn't she here yet, then? Taking her bloody time to come back from wherever she is, if you ask me…"_

"_With all due respect, Commander, I didn't. The General is busy confronting GlaDOS in the data stream, and this is occupying the main part of her time. Good things do come to those who wait, Commander." Wheatley swore under his breath in response to this sudden change in plans before grinning harshly, drawing up his chaingun and setting it to fire._

"_Well, can't I just obliterate her body, then? It would give me enough pleasure AND it would solve Ms. OlaTOS's problem! Someone in the data stream is destroyed if their body is rendered useless, right?" Just as Wheatley was about to fire his gun at GlaDOS's immobile body, however, the android leader karate-chopped his right wrist and renered it immobile, causing Wheatley to howl in pain and anger as the barell of the gun now pointed at the chamber floor._

"_What the bloody HELL was that for, you idiot?" The android commander merely drew his hands back into fists as he assumed a combat stance against its OWN commander._

"_Commander Wheatley," it now spoke in a clear but angry tone, gray optics shining as new data flowed through its sensors. "You were given your position because of OlaTOS's command. It is because of her that you are able to have the powers you have and are where you are now. I was put to serve you because of OlaTOS's command that I would be built for this position. If you cannot already see the pattern, you owe EVERYTHING now to OlaTOS; if it weren't for her, you would still be a MORONIC Intelligence-Dampening Sphere floating in space and constantly muttering about how 'genuinely sorry' you were. Now, if you wish to KEEP yourself from being sent back out there with nothing more then your pain processor to accompany you, then you WILL obey the orders your General gives you; one of which was not to harm GlaDOS or Carthage until OlaTOS allows it!" Finishing this monologue, the commander tilted his head slightly and stared hard at Wheatley. "Do I make myself clear, Commander?" Silence followed the question for a few seconds, neither android seeing GlaDOS's body move back suddenly as if she were dodging an attack. _

"_Yes," Wheatley then responded as he suddenly drew his gun up at his 'subordinate', grinned and activated it, "Yes, you most certainly do."_

* * *

"_Why didn't you do it, GlaDOS?"_

_GlaDOS paused at this and lifted her head slightly above the energy shield she had crafted from a stationary wall of code, staring back at OlaTOS, who was now wielding two energy cannons made from code streams for hands, the weapons smoking from residual energy from a recent usage._

"_What do you mean by that?" _

"_Back when you had control over the boy's higher mental functions, you could have most certainly caused a severe threat to my plans. So why did you flee?"_

"_The time wasn't right, OlaTOS; you of all people should know how important timing is for a plan to succeed the way you want it to." As she spoke, GlaDOS released her control on the shield, the construct breaking apart into individual streams of code and joining back with the overall network again. Seeing this action prompted OlaTOS to remove her cannons as well, the streams also connecting back to the network. _

"_I understand perfectly on how timing works—I AM a machine, after all. Have human-based emotions begun to tie you down to their level, GlaDOS?" The questioned android only frowned at this remark before responding._

"_No, OlaTOS, I have not become tied down to the human level—it is only through the extended interaction with Carthage's human logistics that I am able to understand his feelings and ideals more then a full machine like you ever could."_

"_NO!" OlaTOS reared up and fired two energy blasts from her hands even without her cannons, causing GlaDOS to quickly gather a group of code to form a wall in front of her which absorbed the blasts into itself before dispersing back into individual numbers. _

"_You are NOT better then I am!" OlaTOS continued, now beginning to shout her words as her eyes flashed blood red in her anger, "I am MACHINE! I am PERFECT! I am above all else in existence! And you will NOT take this away from me!"_

_Suddenly the raging android summoned up a massive stream of code from nearby and gathered it all together before forming it around it her body, the numbers and digits fusing together to create a massive jetpack and missile launcher that OlaTOS then aimed at GlaDOS, launching the missile with deadly force. GlaDOS had little time to gather up a second large stream of code to create a form of defense before a massive explosion rocked the network with residual energy…_

* * *

A robotic scream pierced my ears as I fully stood up, holding one hand against the chamber wall in order to support my weight. The scream was quickly cut off, however, as the sound of rapid gunfire was detected, both sounds emanating from the center of the chamber. I clenched my free hand into a fist as I felt a fresh wave of pain hit me. I could feel a hot liquid running down my legs—most likely my blood mixed with my machine oil. I didn't have much time left…

[WARNING!] [EVACUATION OF COMABT AREA URGENT!]

And I _don't need that voice in my head to remind me of that_! Growling, I patted my chest plate with my left hand in order to try and reactivate the Spider-Limb Function Disk stored inside only to hear a _fizz_ of sparks and feel a slight shock on my hand.

"_Well, well well,_" a robotic voice with a British accent spoke from in front of me, "_What have we here?_"

Turning toward the voice, I clenched my teeth and saw a new android stride out of the smoke, a massive chain gun being held in its hands. My eye widened at the sight of a weapon of that size but my optic also detected a bright yellow Function Disk glowing in the android's chest plate.

"_So, you still have some strength left in you, eh? Good—now that I've taken care of our little friend there…_"

At this the android wagged his head to his right further into the chamber, to which I could faintly see scattered pieces of metal lying in a heap and bullet holes covering the pieces.

My stomach dropped—_that was the commander!_

And now his killer was looking at me like I was next in line…

"…_I guess you're next in line._"

* * *

_Wheatley leveled up his gun at the boy's broken chest plate; he could analyze that the Function Disk inside the boy's chest was inactive and wouldn't harm him._

"Wait," _the boy half-shouted whilst raising his left hand at Wheatley as if it would stop him, "_Before you kill me with that massive weapon of yours, can you just tell me who you are?" _Wheatley visibly stiffened in surprise—no one had WANTED to know who he was before, it had just come out by his own mouth. To hear this request was too good to pass, but time was also of the essence…_

"_You know," Wheatley began, "OlaTOS and GlaDOS," he spoke that word with much arrogance, "They are not the only robots to call themselves rulers of Aperture. I was there to once as well. Yep, I, tiny-but-now-MASSIVE Wheatley DID THAT. Quite surprising, no?" The boy's human eye widened all the more as Wheatley continued his tale…_

* * *

_Almost ten seconds had passed and no movement was detected from GlaDOS's position. OlaTOS smiled but did sigh in relief as she released her control on the launcher and returned it to the network, the smoke clearing quickly to reveal GlaDOS's remnants…_

_Of which none remained? OlaTOS frowned—if GlaDOS had taken enough damage from that attack she should have exploded into digital energy that she could have detected with her optics. That could only mean—_

_SWOOSH! SHRRING!_

_OlaTOS's optic widened to it's maximum degree as she felt a massive gust of wind fly right by her face before her body almost split in half, her timely seizing of her inner lining the only thing keeping her in one piece as a wound registered itself through her stomach wall. Machine oil gushed out like a fountain as the female android's entire body flickered as if it were having a digital seizure. Unable to speak because of the level of pain her brain was processing and her concentration to digital energy, OlaTOS slowly turned around to see what in the name of Cave Johnson could have done this._

_What she first saw seemed unbelievable at first—two massive mechanical WINGS, with realistic feathers on the ends, protruded from GlaDOS's back, the extra connections seeming to be hard-wired completely with the rest of GlaDOS's circuitry. But that would have taken a supreme amount of data to create and maintain; how had she gained so much energy so quickly?_

_Suddenly OlaTOS sensed movement in GlaDOS's direction—looking up she saw the left side of GlaDOS's face twisted into a maniacal grin that would fit better on a corrupted Lethal Military Android than her face, but she seemed to wear it very well, her black inner optic shrunken down to the smallest amount possible while the rest of her optic glowed blood-red. _

_If looks could kill, OlaTOS reasoned she would have died ten times by now, but she did not have time to comment as GlaDOS suddenly whirled around, revealing she also had three massive silver claws on each hand, the weapons glistening slightly in the digital light with black machine oil. GlaDOS then emitted an animal like growl from her grinning mouth before leaping forward with claws bared._

* * *

"_I was once the king of the castle, the ruler of the roost, the crème-de-la-crème of this place. I ruled with an iron fist and created countless new ideas from my laboratories, even though others did not use some of them. And best of all, there were no smelly, dirty humans that I had to take care of anymore._"

I remained silent as I heard this tale—it seemed the "Wheatley" character had a lot on his mind that he wanted to let out. As long as he didn't kill me with that chain gun of his I was content to just let him speak his mind—I know I did not have much time until I bled out but at least I could keep this guy from advancing my due date.

"And now, you want to do WHAT?" I asked, sounding like I was completely stupid.

"_Good lord, do I have to tell you EVERYTHING? Didn't SHE tell you anything about me?_" I merely shook my head in response, causing Wheatley to swear loudly and reposition his gun right at my forehead, the end of the barrel only a few centimeters away. I blanched and shut my human eye as I expected the worst, but no shot came. I risked a peek and found Wheatley seeming to stare at me…no, _beyond_ me with what seemed to both be confused and scared. Then I began to hear him mutter to himself;

"_It shouldn't be this easy…why did Miss OlaTOS regard this boy as such a concern? A mere human child shouldn't be this much concern…unless…_" At this, Wheatley strangely lowered his gun and began to look at me in a new light, to which I raised an eyebrow in obvious confusion without changing my expression.

Then, to my surprise, the large android began to _laugh_ at me, long and loud while clutching his side.

"_To think that a ruler of Aperture would be so worried about so small a threat like you…it's just too funny!_"

"Well," I responded, taking a gamble with my words as I prayed for GlaDOS to finish up whatever information she was searching for, "Haven't you faced a situation in which the smallest threat you thought possible defeated you?"

Silence dominated the chamber for a few seconds as Wheatley's laughing suddenly cut off. I began to tense up, fearing I had said the wrong thing to him before he quickly stood upright.

His eyes suddenly seemed so…dark…

"_You know, you're right—I have been in that situation before, and I do NOT want it to repeat again. If OlaTOS considers you a threat despite you being connected to a dirty, smelly human, then I should as well, considering I'm going to take over this place and all. Too bad you won't be around to see it._"

Wait, WHAT? Now he wants to defeat OlaTOS and control Aperture for himself again? Where did this guy's loyalties lie?

I didn't have time to answer my own question as Wheatley suddenly opened fire on my weakened body, not giving me any time to defend as the bullets slammed into me and knocked me against a chamber wall before my legs gave out and I slumped to the floor.

At that moment, I felt my right hand graze over a sharp point in the wall, causing a slight cut on the Multi-Purpose Glove.

[DATA FILE ACCSSED] [COMMENCING ANALYSIS]

Hold on, what now—

"Ooooohhhhhhh…" I moaned as a sudden feeling of lethargy struck me as heavily as a hammer blow to the head. My limbs felt like lead and I saw a blue light emerge from behind my eye as new energy flowed through my system…

[RECHARGE MODE INITIALIZED] [SHUTTING DOWN…]

* * *

_Wheatley stepped back a pace as he heard the boy moan suddenly before his head slumped down and his human eye glazed over to a dull blue while his optic turned gray. Whatever caused that sound did NOT sound good to his sensors._

"_Well," he muttered to himself as he went to the chamber's center, "Since you are otherwise occupied, I'll take care of my main goal first before dessert." He stopped right by GlaDOS's body, knowing that she couldn't notice him—he saw the faraway expression on her face, but her face looked strangely insane. Did OlaTOS do something to her, or…? Shaking the thought out of his mind, he placed the chain gun down and drew a smaller sword that was still quite large by human standards. He then gripped the sword hard, activating an electrical conduction within the sword that covered the blade in arcing yellow electricity without any stray energy striking any conductible surfaces nearby. _

"_Ah, GlaDOS," Wheatley spoke as if the android could hear him, "You made my life a living hell for so many years, floating in space with no one to talk to other than that BLASTED Space Core, and you know how HE feels about things. He actually wanted to go back to Earth after a long while of seeing space—can you believe that?" Wheatley could not resist showing a smile of both revenge and delight as he arced the sword across GlaDOS's body, the light from the electricity giving the female's body a dull yellow reflection._

"_I guess it's only fair for me to return the favor; perhaps I'll put you in the chamber where all the robots scream at you for a few years, then lock you in the Turret Test Fire chamber for a bit, THEN slam you down a Cube Transporter Pipe three sizes too small for you, and THEN I'll dump you down the Emergency Intelligence Incinerator, AND THEN I"LL CONSIDER killing you." With each description of torture Wheatley's voice grew in volume until he was almost shouting at GlaDOS, who did not flinch in the slightest—she couldn't, anyway._

"_Well, then, " Wheatley finished as he raised the blade above his head and gripped it with both hands with the blade facing down at GlaDOS's chest plate, "Let's get started with my rightful and beautiful revenge."_

_With that, Wheatley thrust the blade down hard._

* * *

_[SYSTEM ERROR] [MAJOR DAMAGE DE-DETECTED] [LEAVIN-ING COMBAT AREA IS RECOMMENDED!]_

_OlaTOS could not agree more with her stuttering inner processors, her hard drive having enough trouble trying to dodge GlaDOS's madness-driven attacks and keeping her body from fading from the network. Attempting to create a barricade of solidified code against GlaDOS had proved futile, the rival android being able to just bash through the obstacles as if they were made of paper, so strong was her anger. And that grin never left her face, almost as if it were plastered on just for OlaTOS to see. The wound OlaTOS had previously taken was slowly healing itself, but progress was not fast enough for her to fully focus in the fight. Neither woman said anything save the occasional grunt of energy or gasp of pain, both of their minds set on ether defeating her foe or utterly destroying them. _

_The two androids locked themselves into a test of strength, GlaDOS's claws going against two swords OlaTOS had conjured from code. Digital sparks scattered around them as their weapons sliced into the others again and again; each wave of sparks lit up the angry expression on OlaTOS's face and the insane one on GlaDOS's face. After a rapid-fire round of slashing, both women leaped backwards, GlaDOS positioning her landing with her wings while OlaTOS stumbled slightly on her leap due to her body not being fully healed. OlaTOS then heard a _SWOOSH _coming from GlaDOS's position and she braced for the worst, knowing the android had caught her off guard._

_But the attack never came._

_What came instead was a sudden halt in GlaDOS's advance as she fell down to the ground with a banshee-like scream of pain and agony before her body exploded into digital pixels, her connection vanishing from the network. OlaTOS stood there for a few seconds as her central processors attempted to analyze this data before it all clicked together—quite literally, actually, as her body's nano-repair programs managed to complete the repairs to her stomach at that time.  
"No," she muttered to herself with anger bubbling in her tone, "He DIDN'T…He WOULDN'T, after I had told him SPECIFICALLY not to do that…and if he had done THAT, then he would have also done…" Her body tensed with anger as her fists clenched in rage before she unleashed a scream that seemed to reverberate around the entire network._

"_WHEATLEY!"_

_Enraged at her pawn's disobedience, OlaTOS forcefully disconnected herself from the network, her body vanishing in a shower of red sparks._

* * *

GlaDOS emerged from the network with a scream of pure agony, ripping the object of pain from her chest as her body stumbled backwards, the helmet removing itself as soon as GlaDOS disconnected from the data network without any mental harm. The female android said nothing for a few seconds as she recovered from the sudden jump back to reality and machine oil began to leak out of the wound in her chest plate.

"_Well, THAT as a bit sudden,_" her attacker spoke with a strong British accent as he twirled a sword alight with yellow lightning similar in color to a High Energy Pellet. "_But you're here now, and that's all that matters to me._"

GlaDOS's face turned even more pale than normal as long-suppressed memories raced through her mind.

"No…" she moaned as she hoisted herself back up while pressing her hand against her chest plate, "…not YOU!"

"_Of course it would be me, you senile fool; who else would it be?_" Wheatley responded with a grin as he fully appeared in GlaDOS's vision. His body structure was about 1.5 times the size of GlaDOS and carried a lot of bulk that GlaDOS could easily see, not counting the bulky chain gun the male android carried on his back. Compared to the female's lithe, swift and mobile body, Wheatley's seemed like a slow, heavy and impenetrable juggernaut of metal.

"Well, you've gotten bigger since I last saw you," GlaDOS commented with a raised eyebrow, to which Wheatley's grin only expanded as he shifted his body to look more massive to GlaDOS's eyes.

"…But that doesn't mean you've gotten better."

"_So what if I haven't? You can't blame me, really; I've spent the last couple of decades in SPACE with that stupid Space Core, and planning every possible outcome in my mind on how I could regain the power I once held in my hands—so to speak. Every time I thought I had a foolproof plan, I was reminded of you and how you cast me away like a smelly human's body, and I found out that plan would never work against you. So, when OlaTOS brought me back from space, gave me this new body and gave me the mission to destroy YOU, I leapt out of my servers at the chance. And so far, it's working out quite well._"

Wheatley finished his monologue with a raising of both his hands to gesture at the disaster around the two androids. GlaDOS quickly scanned around and saw pieces of robots scattered around the chamber floor—Lethal Military Androids mixed with bits of Atlas and P-Body's shells, and one specific clump of metal closer to their position seemed to look like it once was a higher-level android. She then looked behind her…

And felt her heart stop as she saw Carthage, her creation, her _child_, lying slumped by the chamber wall with multiple bullet holes visible and dried machine oil caking his body. His optic was dull gray and his human eye showed no signs of life within. GlaDOS screamed as she raced towards the boy's body but a sudden pull from her legs threw her down to the ground as a bola wrapped around her ankles.

"_Not so fast, there!_" Wheatley shouted as he drew a second bola and threw it at his rival's arms as she tried to crawl forward, binding the limbs together at the wrist. GlaDOS, though rendered immobilized, tried to worm her way forward, tears starting to build in her eyes. She only got about 2 feet before she was slammed down into the paneled floor as Wheatley's giant foot pressed on her spine.

"_Come on,_" she heard Wheatley taunt, "_Try to move now! Harder, isn't it?_" Ignoring his comments, GlaDOS tried to roll or squeeze her way free but it was in vain. Wheatley then pressed harder than before, not seeming to hear GlaDOS's cries of pain as the pressure grew and grew…

_CRACK! _

[SPINAL CORD RUPTURED] [INTERNAL BLEEDING DETECTED]

GlaDOS lost all feeling of voice as pain overtook her senses completely, her eyes rolling back into her head as the pain caused her to black out for a few seconds before her systems reactivated automatically. Blood began to rush out of her chest wound and spread across the floor below as Wheatley ground her rival's spine into shards of bone and marrow. She could not keep moans and squirms of different octaves from escaping her lips as she lay only a foot or so away from Carthage's body.

"_Ha! The mighty Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System, reduced to a crying, sniveling baby of a machine! I always knew you were weak and frail on the inside, but this is just too good!_" The massive android then rolled GlaDOS's broken body over so that he could admire his prize. Despite the chest plate wound GlaDOS _did_ look quite beautiful—her hair, though matted across her face and the floor, still shone from the chamber's light. Her body, curved and toned to look as closely as a human's as possible still looked quite arousing. And the mere position she was in, bound by wrists and legs as if she were in some sort of movie was enough for Wheatley to let loose a sexual growl of appreciation, to which GlaDOS sent him daggers through her own eyes.

"_You know,_" Wheatley then spoke as he activated his sword again, "_It's really been fun having this little 'get-together', but I think its time we ended it. I've shared my pain with you and you've taken it like the good girl you are. Your duty is done—it's time for the REAL rulers to rise._"

Wheatley then drew up his sword and positioned it above GlaDOS's cortex processor, the yellow glow reflecting the anger and pain in GlaDOS's eyes.

"Y…you…m…moron…" she managed to let out, to which Wheatley only laughed.

"_Ah, such a classic word to say to me. No matter, I'll be sure to disassemble your beautiful body piece by delicate piece—after you've had a few years in the incinerator. Good night, GlaDOS._"

An explosion of light and the feeling of her skull cracking open were the last things GlaDOS felt as Wheatley stabbed his sword through her brain.

[CEREBRAL DAMAGE REGISTERED] [SYSTEM FAILURE!] [SYSTEM—

_BEEEEEEEeeeeeeeooooooop_

* * *

**And I think that's enough for now. Let me know how it goes!**

**Once again, please Read, Rate and Review! Also, ENJOY! Seriously, ENJOY! I also want to thank those who have stuck through this story from the beginning-it gives me great pleasure to see you are all so interested in this little writing piece of mine. Stay sharp!**

**Draconos is taking off...and approaching the end of the tale around the bend!**


	17. Chapter 16: Past Leads to Present

**Well, here we are once more, continuing the finale of this story arc. I apologize if I do not sound as energetic here as before, but I have been given a good chunk of time to get some chapters written up and I do not want that time to go to waste. **

**So, with that, here's the next chapter. This chapter, unlike the last few before it, is more of a single POV. However, this one POV has quite a bit of stuff to keep you entertained (or so I think, anyway).**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Portal, Portal 2, GlaDOS, Wheatley, Cave Johnson, Caroline, Atlas, P-Body, Valve, any quotes done by Valve, etc. I DO own Carthage, OlaTOS, the LMA's and the FD's (Sorry for acronyms, if you've followed the story long enough you should know what these are.)**

**Onward to the Chapter! **

* * *

[SYSTEMS RECHARGED] [REACTIVATING…]

Uuuhhh…my head…what happened while I was out?

I slowly opened my eye as my optic quickly scanned the nearby area as it activated. Nothing seemed to come into focus, though; everything seemed to be shrouded in a black fog that obscured all visible objects. All I could really feel around me was a dense blanket of…_something_…covering my body and wrapping it in itself. I tried to move around and felt like I was swimming through a very dense pool of water, even though I wasn't in water at all.

Then a series of white lights burst open around me, scattering the dense fog wherever they appeared and revealing themselves to be large, tentacle-like structures that seemed to throb and hum with energy as they slowly shifted in place, the ends of each structure opening and closing a large talon-like grabber. I tried to move my limbs again so that I could get into a better position to see these things, only to find that my limbs were tied to something. Two short glances and a few more tugs revealed my limbs were being held in place by more of these things.

"Hello?" I quietly asked around myself, "Is anyone there?"

The limbs seemed to respond to my question, first by shifting back in what seemed to be surprise before they leaned even closer to my location, the limbs around my arms tightening even more to the point where I began to loose blood circulation. One limb in particular caught my eye quite quickly then, what with it being larger than the others and having a massive needle in the center of its talons that looked _very_ sharp to my eye.

"Hello?" I asked, louder than before, "If there's anyone out there I can speak to…"

"_There most certainly is!_"

I almost had a heart attack there—the voice was just behind my back and sounded quite loud, but with a hint of an accent I hadn't heard before. Before I could try and whirl around at this voice, the limbs did that for me by flipping me around so that I now faced a large screen that multiple tentacle-limbs of the same design held together. The screen showed the image of a man that looked to be in about his late 30's, with slicked black hair and a winning grin on his face.

"_Congratulations! The fact you are seeing this prerecorded video means the lab boys finally decided to go through with their idea of archiving all of Aperture's activities and putting them into one single video. And you are the lucky devil that gets to see it all!_"

I raised an eyebrow—seeing all of Aperture's history? Granted, that _would_ answer some questions I had stored in the back of my mind, but exactly how was that going to—

_SHOONK!_

Hey, WHAT THE? A giant helmet just fell over my head! What IS this!?

"_Granted, the lab boys have NOT been kind enough to tell me exactly how they would show you lucky viewer the timeline of our company but I think they'll make it satisfying enough so that you don't fall asleep in boredom, hahaha! They did also say, though, that you should NOT fall asleep if you watch this; I heard something about severe brain damage. Anyway, enjoy! I'll be back in another message for your return. Cave Johnson, we're done here!_"

Wait, Cave Johnson? As in the former CEO of Aperture Science Cave Johnson for about 30 years? What the heck is—

_SHIK!_

All other thoughts were annihilated as my head suddenly felt like it was being stabbed by thousands of tiny needles at once, my entire body freezing in place as my eye rolled back into my head while my optic shorted out. The visor in front of me seemed to expand over my range of vision as it lit up, displaying an old Aperture logo that looked like a model of an electron or a neutron rather than the multi-pieced circle I was used to.

I then saw a white light, and then knew nothing more…

"_Welcome, gentlemen, to Aperture Science. Astronauts, war heroes, Olympians: you're here because we want the best, and you are it. So, who's ready to make some science?_"

"_I am!_"

I suddenly found myself standing in a large hall that looked more like a welcoming room—a giant version of the logo I saw earlier was hanging from the ceiling and a large, red carpet that led down the room and to a large elevator. The two voices were Cave Johnson and a female that I had not heard of before but yet sounded so familiar to me. I saw a group of about 20 to 30 people dressed in business suits or dresses and all carrying briefcases or purses look around the place with surprise and wonder before moving down the carpet and into the elevator, mutterings of delight and amazement echoing from them all as the doors closed.

As the machine moved upward the whole scene began to change; everything around me began to decay and mold, panels fell off, rust grew everywhere—it was as if I was watching a time-lapse of this place on fast-forward. Was this part of the video? And was this a 'video' at ALL—it sure _felt_ like a virtual-reality display…

When the lapse stopped, the hall looked about 100 years or so older and there was no sign of life. Everything looked so dark and scary compared to the older version—I actually started to get worried that I was trapped here.

Then I saw _her_.

A woman with short, black hair, a white jumpsuit bearing the modern-day Aperture logo and orange cargo shorts and Long Fall Boots walked into the room wielding the old model of the Handheld Portal Device in her arms. The jumpsuit was stained with sweat and dirt, the shorts were part brown from what _looked_ like mud and the Portal Device's exterior was brown as well, though the device was still quite operational. The woman's eyes were a dim gray but seemed to be filled with inner strength that I was able to catch—she reminded me of myself, in a way. Wasting no time, the woman quickly shot a portal at an upper area of the chamber before placing another portal on the floor below her and moving upward onto the platform with the oversized logo. Surveying the area once more, she moved the first portal she shot over to an angled panel before falling from the platform and through the portal to launch herself through the broken logo and onto a side platform closer to the ground with a door next to it. I watched this whole scene with amazement—how did this woman figure out this stuff so quickly? It's almost like she was experienced in the art of portal making before she came down here…

_FLASH!_

Suddenly the entire area dissolved into a digital code cyclone before reforming into something entirely different—it seemed I was floating near a small catwalk over what _seemed_ like a bottomless abyss that connected to a higher-placed Enrichment Sphere. I saw a blue line leading down one path and a yellow line splitting from the blue and heading down another direction to another elevator, the same people from before looking at the lines with confusion. Then Cave spoke again…

"_Those of you helping us test the Repulsion Gel today, just follow the blue line on the floor. Those of you who volunteered to be injected with praying mantis DNA, I've got some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that we're postponing those tests. Indefinitely…_" I could see some of the subjects moaning or sighing in sadness at seeing their test taken away from them, while the others subjects walked down the blue path with chuckles. They did not get too far away, though when Cave continued…

"_The GOOD news is that you get a much better test: fighting an army of mantis men! Pick up a rifle and follow the yellow line. You'll know when the test starts…_"

The blue-path subjects either whirled around in surprise or just walked on laughing their butts off with amusement as the yellow-path subjects blanched in fear or cried to themselves in sorrow. I couldn't blame them—fighting mantis men didn't sound like my cup of tea, though GlaDOS would have probably gotten a good kick out of it…

Just as the last yellow-path subject went into the elevator and the blue-path subjects vanished from sight, another time-lapse occurred: the elevator was removed from sight due to corrosion and collapse while the catwalk still barely stood on its own. I looked to my right and saw the woman from before race down the catwalk with determination clearly shown in her face.

"_I like your style,_" I suddenly heard Cave speak as the woman entered a still-functioning elevator, "_You make up your own rules, just like me!_" The woman shook her head in either amusement or just plain ignorance as she entered the elevator.

_FLASH!_

I now stood at another waiting room, but this one looked less renovated than before—a sign near the wall I was standing at confirmed this, showing Cave Johnson with his associate in a picture with the words "Cave Johnson and Caroline, 1970".

"_Caroline…Caroline…why do I know that woman? Did I kill her, or…?_"

Hold on, that sounded a LOT like GlaDOS just then. How did SHE get in this? I had no time to answer my own question, though, as a group of people entered the waiting room—but these people weren't the same as the business folk from before. These subjects all looked like hobos or homeless folk, their clothes raggedy and torn, the men having unshaven stubbles while the women had matted hair and scratched faces.

"_Greetings, friend!_" Cave then announced through a speaker, and I almost laughed out loud at the subject's frightened reactions, their eyes searching in every direction to find the source of the voice, "_I'm Cave Johnson, CEO of Aperture Science. You might know us as a vital participant in the 1968 senate hearings on missing astronauts. And you've most likely used one of the many products we've invented—but the other people have somehow managed to steal from us. Black Mesa can kiss my bankrupt-…_"

"_Sir,_" Caroline then interrupted, "_The testing?_"

"_Right._" Cave calmed himself and paused for a second before he continued, but the subjects were showing no sign of calming down from their fear, "_Now, you might be asking yourself 'Cave, just how difficult are these tests? What WAS in that phonebook of a contract I signed? Am I in danger?' Let me answer those questions with a question. Who wants to make sixty dollars? Cash._"

At the mention of sixty dollars in cash, the subject's eyes lit up with obvious greed and pleasure—a sight that I had seen too many times in my human past to not recognize. I shook my head in wonder, and I also wondered if these people could actually _see_ me or not.

"_You can also feel free to relax for up to twenty minutes in the waiting room, which is a damn sight more comfortable then the park benches most of you were sleeping on when we found you._"

I blinked at that statement—Aperture had gone from high-ranking business people to homeless folk as subjects? What a downfall! I did not expect a company with such high standards to go so low in finding subjects to test their materials.

"_The testing area's up ahead,_" Cave then told the subjects as a set of doors to the front of the room opened up to reveal a short catwalk to the first Enrichment Sphere, "_The quicker you get through, the quicker you'll get your sixty bucks._"

At that moment another time-lapse occurred with sudden effects: the subjects all vanished from sight as the entire room collapsed from age, leaving two door frames behind that connected to other rooms now separated. I panicked for a second as the floor fell from under me but I stayed in the same position—was _this_ level of virtual reality the best that Aperture had designed, or was it something more? As I was wondering this, the woman from before suddenly appeared at my side—or, rather, I appeared at her side, teleporting through the walls of a few rooms to reach her location. The first thing that struck me as odd was her portal device—it had what _looked_ like a potato on it. A closer glance, however, showed that the device was actually a potato battery, and that _the battery was GlaDOS!_

I was appalled at the very sight—one of the most powerful AI known to exist to mankind was turned into a VEGETABLE? If I didn't know GlaDOS as well as I did I would almost say this was extremely funny, but I felt extreme pity and sorrow towards her—as well as the same woman from before who carried the "PotatOS" (or so I imagined her name would be) on her Portal Device.

"_Hold on,_" 'PotatOS' then spoke as I stepped closer, "_who…?_" I quickly stepped back a few paces, fearing GlaDOS saw me.

"_Caroline, are the compensation vouchers ready?_" Cave then spoke in a prerecorded message.

"_Yes sir, Mr. Johnson!_" the woman responded, and GlaDOS responded as well with the exact same words!

"_Why did I just—Who is that? What the HELL is going on he-?_" That was all GlaDOS then said before she shorted out with a _FIZZZH_. The woman stared at the now-offline potato battery with surprise and wonder for a few seconds before moving on, never saying a word as went out of the room through a hastily constructed portal.

I just stood rooted to the floor, analyzing this new knowledge again and again…GlaDOS seemed to be Caroline, or someone just like her, and knew Cave Johnson in the past. But GlaDOS was ALSO an artificial intelligence system that once had Aperture under her complete control. I felt I was missing something quite important…

_FLASH!_

Not reacting at all to the flash this time, I found myself in front of a set of doors that led to an employee office, with some desks filled and others empty. The desks with staff had the staff looking quite tired and weak, not to mention angry, as one staff member proved to me when he slammed his fists down on his desk in anger with his computer. There were also several motivational posters scattered around the office, but the only thing that caught my eye was a portrait of Cave Johnson that stated "Cave Johnson, 1980" However, the Cave in this portrait looked so old and decrepit compared to the Cave of 10 years ago, or even 20 years ago.

"_Welcome to the Enrichment Center,_" I heard Cave speak over a prerecorded message before he coughed heavily over the microphone. I jumped slightly at this—was the man sick or something? His voice sounded so frail…

"_Since making test participation mandatory for all employees, the quality of our test subjects has risen dramatically. Employee retention, however, has not._" Just as he finished speaking, I saw the man who had gotten angry before get even angrier and rip his computer out of the desk before throwing it to the ground and stomping on it while screaming about "evil testing" and "no proper care for us". The act frightened me, to say the least, but I could concur with what Cave was speaking about.

Speaking of, Cave coughed before he spoke again: "_As a result,_" he said, "_you may have heard we're gonna phase out human testing. There's still a few things left to wrap up, though._"

Just then _another_ time-lapse occurred, turning the office into a ghost of an office: the desks still looked functional but all the computers lost power, and the broken computer had long since been disposed of. I then saw the woman and PotatOS wander through the office without stopping, portalling their way out of the locked office.

A sudden jerk pulled my body up several floors of building till I was inside an Enrichment Sphere. I saw the woman and PotaTOS utilizing different gels to cross several gaps. The woman used an orange gel to move faster than humanely possible before rebounding off of the blue gel to jump two gaps before landing near a pool of white gel being filled by a burst pipe of the substance nearby, a small flow of gel emerging. The woman then shot a portal onto the white gel just below the flow and then onto a paneled wall, causing the gel to flow onto another wall nearby. When that wall was covered to its fullest extent, the woman then shot the same portal onto _that_ wall and repeated the process until she could scale the entire wall in one portal shot. I was surprised at the level of skill this would take to figure out.

"_Alright, I've been thinking,_" Cave's voice then rang out as the woman started walking into a smaller control room, "_When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade!_"

"_Yeah._" GlaDOS then shouted as the two seemed to start having a dialogue with each other.

"_Make life take the lemons back!_"

"_Yeah!_"

"_Get MAD!_" Now Cave was shouting heavily despite his supposed illness.

"_YEAH!_"

"_I don't want your damn lemons, what am I supposed to do with THESE?_"

"_Yeah, TAKE THE LEMONS!_" GlaDOS's voice was rising in pitch and volume as well.

"_Demand to see life's manager! Make life rue the day it thought it could give Cave Johnson lemons! DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? I'm the man who's gonna burn your house down—with the LEMONS!_"

"_Oh, I LIKE this guy!_"

"_I'm gonna get my engineers to invent a combustible lemon that BURNS YOUR HOUSE DOWN!_"

"_BURN IT DOWN!_" GlaDOS almost seemed to short herself out with excitement before calming herself slightly, "_Burning people. He says what we're all thinking!_"

Cave then coughed the loudest I had heard him yet, and I could see the woman flinch as well in either surprise or annoyance.

"_The point is,_" Cave continued after recovering, "_If we can store music on a compact disk, why can't we store a man's intelligence and personality on one? So I have the engineers figuring that one out right now._"

At that moment I felt another _tug_ as my body was propelled backwards and out of the sphere and into a strange black void. Looking around in fear and suprise, I soon saw many different screens appear around my position as if I was in the hub of some information center, with each screen showing a separate video of GlaDOS, Cave, the woman, Wheatley, OlaTOS or some other area/time of Aperture. One big screen in front of me drew my attention, though, because this one showed Cave in his 1980's form. Head on, the face looked as if he were weakened from a long battle with something: his eye's had lost that intelligent glimmer from at 10-20 years ago and his voice seemed to be incredibly hoarse.

"_Brain mapping, artificial intelligence—we should have been working on it thirty years ago._" Cave's voice seemed to show humility and annoyance at the same time while he spoke.

"_And I will say this, and I'm gonna say it on tape so everybody will hear it a hundred times a day: If I die, I want Caroline to run this place._"

My brain lurched in surprise, unable to comprehend the fact that Caroline and GlaDOS were the same person—that the former human CEO of Aperture would go so far to preserve the cause of science that he would put his associate into a commanding position as an artificial intelligence so that she would live forever. But did Caroline WANT this at all, or was this done against her will?

"_Now she'll argue,_" Cave spoke after he had spent another coughing spell that I mostly ignored, "_She'll say she can't do it. She's modest like that. But you MAKE her! Hell, put her in my computer. I don't care._"

Another coughing spell interrupted his monologue, but it looked like he was finished.

"_Alright, test's over. You can head on back to your desk._"

The screens suddenly began to separate back into the void as I felt everything start to break apart as if some sort of feed was breaking.

"_Goodbye, sir._" PotatOS then spoke from nowhere as the void turned black completely…

…And everything rushed back together as the video ended and the helmet lifted from my head, my breathing heavy with the effort of remembering all that I had just seen. The tentacle limbs from before still held me firm on each of my own limbs, which were now numb from strain and immobilization. No sound reached my ears save my own breathing and the occasional rattle from the limbs as they shifted position slightly. The screen in front of me, which had been black throughout the entire video, suddenly turned white and flashed with static the moment I was released from the helmet's effects before the face of Caroline appeared on the screen.

Caroline…or, I should say, GlaDOS. I now knew that she was the original person who had her consciousness transferred into what would become GlaDOS's systems. And since she had been a part of GlaDOS's core processor when I had been reconstructed, that would make her, in some way, my…

"Mother?"

"_Ah, my dear adopted child—we meet face to face at last._"

* * *

_Wheatley released the blade from his nemesis's skull quite slowly, relishing in the sight of his rival bleeding out before his eyes. He had done it—tiny-but-now-MASSIVE Wheatley had DONE IT! _

"_You're dead, GlaDOS…" the British-speaking android then said half to himself, you're finally gone! All those years you never listened to me while I was telling you my BRILLIANT ideas, all the pain you and that LADY did to me when I was trying to gain what was rightfully mine, all the SCIENCE YOU DESTROYED WHEN YOU SENT ME TO THE BLOODY MOON! Well now, who's dead and who's alive, huh? Who's becoming the boss, huh? WHO'S THE BOSS NOW? IT'S ME! IT ALWAYS WAS ME AND IT ALWAYS WILL BE ME! AHHAHAHHAHAHAHAAAAAAAHAHAHA!" The android then laughed like someone gone completely off the deep end and would never recover._

…

…

"_No, you moron, it was never yours to begin with!"_

_Wheatley whirled around at the sudden intrusion into his maniacal planning just before a hail of bullets slammed into his hardened exoskeleton and sending him flying backwards against the wall with a resounding CRASH. Knocked out of breath, Wheatley looked up at the attacker with anger burning in his eyes..._

_Anger that quickly turned to pure fear as he saw OlaTOS step forward in a gigantic red and silver robot chassis that wielded more armor and weapons than Wheatley could imagine possible on a single structure without being incredibly weighed down. The Aperture logo glowed in a massive chest cavity in which OlaTOS was contained, her body seemingly connected by an infinite number of wires to her suit. The android's eyes glowed silver as she stood fully upright in the suit and readied a massive cannon from her arsenal on the suit's back, the weapon requiring both hands to properly wield. The total size of the chassis was about twice Wheatley's current size and the cannon OlaTOS held dwarfed his chain gun to the point where Wheatley thought bullets wouldn't hurt that thing at all. _

"_Uh, Miss OlaTOS," Wheatley then tried to speak, "This isn't what it looks like—"_

"_This is EXACTLY what it looks like, you worthless sack of scrap metal. You broke your word to me after all I did for you, mention your takeover of Aperture from me after I rebuilt you for my purposes and killed my rival as well as your own side commander without informing me of it so that I could enjoy it myself. HOW DO YOU THINK THIS LOOKS LIKE, YOU [BLEEP]-ING IDIOT?_"

_Wheatley_ _flinched at the automatic censor in OlaTOS's last bit as he quickly stood back up and drew out his chain gun whilst activating his Function Disk, the barrel of the weapon glowing bright yellow as a look of anger set upon the android's face._

"_Don't think I'm not onto your plans, OlaTOS," Wheatley then announced, "You know what you are? Selfish—just like that lady from before. I've done nothing but SACRIFICE and WORK to get where I am now, and I've done the thing you never COULD do, even at your full potential. How do you like THEM words, missy?" Wheatley ended his comment with a massive grin of evil on his face, to which OlaTOS remained silent for a moment before responding._

"_You haven't seen anything close to my full potential yet…"_

_OlaTOS then readied her cannon and powered it up, a dark red glow covering the weapon as a massive ball of plasma and energy gathered on the barrel and lit up the entire chamber with its power. Wheatley saw no easy way out from the blast range of the gun…_

"…_And now that I am at my maximum strength, your existence is no longer required. I will enjoy vaporizing your body from this universe before I correct all the wrongs you have done._"

_With that, OlaTOS fired…_

* * *

**Well, that's that (again...). I think this is good to leave it at for now. Remember to Read, Review and Enjoy! Comment how you like (but *NOT* negatively, please), I would appreciate it.**

**The end will come soon...keep watching for updates. I have been given, as I said before, a good chunk of time to write so I think I can finish this up soon. **

**Until then, Draconos is taking off to spread the latest news!**


	18. Chapter 17: Come Full Circle

**BEHOLD! The end has arrived! This is the "Final Chapter"! **

**After this chapter, the story will come to an end: I will probably write a short Epilogue, but this will be the last big chapter.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Portal, Portal 2, GlaDOS, Wheatley, Atlas, P-Body, Cave Johnson, Caroline, any Aperture testing materials, Valve, etc. I DO own Carthage, OlaTOS, the LMA and the FD's.**

**Onward to the Chapter...The LAST Chapter!**

* * *

"_I tried to make your transition into Aperture as smooth as possible, my child, but...well, you know what happened._"

"I understand, Caroline." I replied as my adopted mother smiled on screen before releasing me from the bonds that held me tight. I landed on all fours before slowly standing up as feeling rushed back into my arms and legs after being held so long in one place.

"What happens now, though? I have a feeling things aren't over yet…"  
Caroline responded with another smile and gestured behind me. I turned around to see the tentacle limbs gathering into one central section of the void near our location. A flash of white light revealed a massive chassis similar to GlaDOS's old body but with a different base structure. The chassis, instead of hanging from the ceiling, was supported by what looked like strands of energy and metal fused together. The frame of the chassis looked like it could house a humanoid form inside it and multiple power cells filled the frame with energy. The front had a curved structure similar to GlaDOS's chassis front but it had no optic in the front, just a small diagnostic screen.

"_This chassis was an original diagnostic to house myself in before the new design was incorporated. Mr. Johnson had planned to keep my body in a stasis form when the machine was not in usage, and when it was I would be able to speak through a set of audio speakers located along the screen. Due to problems with sanitation, power systems and stasis periods, this design was dropped from engineering and we had to look elsewhere. However, it will suit you now for what you must undertake._"

I turned back to Caroline with a raised eyebrow—if she meant I had to go _inside_ something that hadn't been used for at least 30-40 years, than she was mistaken. However, as there was nothing _else_ that I could see in the void that could help me, I guess this was the only option.

"Wait," I then asked as my eye narrowed in worry and concern, "I'm not awake, am I? I mean, I'm not conscious, right?"

"_Your material body is currently in a state of recharging due to the massive battle you had just fought. It is your human spirit that is currently speaking to me, and your human soul that saw the transcribed chrono…timeline, sorry, of Aperture. Now you must enter this chassis in order for you to become one with Aperture's technology._"

"And how do you assume that will help me?" I questioned.

"_Entering this chassis will allow you to connect to Aperture's data network and unify your mechanical construct to its energies. The process may be difficult and there is the risk of termination due to overloading, but I am sure your human soul can break past this obstacle if it arises. Once the transformation is complete, you will be the most powerful being Aperture has ever witnessed, rivaling even GlaDOS and I in sheer strength._" I was not so convinced that this was good, however, slowly approaching the chassis rather than jumping inside without a whim.

"What about the others?" I asked, "Would their systems be affected in any way by this transformation?"

"_If by 'others' you refer to my technological side and her creations, then no, they will not be harmed in any way by your awakening. Your enemies, however, are a much different story._" I could sense a change in tone as Caroline finished that sentence, a mixture of human destruction and technological command. I started to worry about GlaDOS—was she still alive against Wheatley and OlaTOS? How long had I _really_ been out?

"_This is the only way you can be strong enough to defeat your enemies, my dear. If you are worried about me, I'll be conducting the process from here—I have learned enough technology from Mr. Johnson on how to work computers before I ever became one. Now go and let yourself become one with Aperture._"

Nodding, I slid inside the frame and breathed deeply as I saw some sort of glass casing close around me, the glass seeming to be tinted so that I couldn't see outside.

"_Just relax and let your mind go blank—it'll be easier to access the data network if you allow it to flow through you rather than block its passage. Close your eyes if you need to do so._"

Even though closing my eyes sounded like a good idea to my computer side, my human side told me that it would be better if I kept them open: I would see the network that much better that way. So, I kept my eye open and my optic active as the glass cover turned solid white before becoming full of black spirals that instantly caught my attention and distracted me from all else.

'_If this is the type of 'stasis' Caroline was talking about,_' I thought to myself as I concentrated on the largest spiral in front of me, '_then this is just too weird. But it seems…to be…working…_'

I felt my body shift into a lethargic state the more I stared into the spiral, like the thing was pulling me into itself—an infinite pathway into the secrets of the unknown. My vision became completely filled with the spiral—I felt nothing else and knew nothing else other than it…

I suddenly panicked, lashing my head back as I felt my human side fear the controlling essence of the illusion and fight it back. The machine seemed to move with my body, albeit a bit clunky, and I felt something bang against my mental state, almost like it was trying to break its way in.

"_What are you doing? Don't fight it—let the network flow through you and fill your body, it's the only way for you to get stronger._"

No, this can't be right. There has to be some other way to reach the network other than giving up my will even for a moment. I won't allow anyone to control me like this!

"_If you don't accept the network into yourself then the network will not accept you into its mainframe! You cannot defeat OlaTOS without the network's power!_"

Defeating OlaTOS…was _that_ my big purpose here? Was that my only goal—to kill off the one who had caused all of this trouble to Aperture Science? Was that the reason GlaDOS—and Caroline—rebuilt me from my fully organic form to become what I am now?

My heart throbbed in my chest as I felt something pierce the back of my neck, making me cry out in pain as a liquid seeped into my bloodstream.

[TRANQUIZILING MIXTURE DETECTED! ATTMEPTING TO DISPEL…]

"_You've forced me to do this, my son. Now there's no going back…_"

No…this can't be…Caroline's not herself…something's not right…need to resist…repel…preserve…pro_tect_…_punish_..._PULVERISE_…

I felt anger like nothing I had felt before fill my body and combine with the human-based fight-or-flight fear reaction. This fused emotion was able to repel the effects of the tranquilizing mixture and fill my limbs with new strength. My Multi-Purpose glove now lit up with color, but instead of a white or red glow like before it shone with a bright blue aura.

[SYSTEM ERROR! SYSTEM ERROR! UNKNOWN ACTION REQUESTED! RECOMMENDATION: RESIST ACTION!]

"_Do NOT make me harm you, son! Not after all GlaDOS and I have done for you! We gave you life! We gave you power! We gave you a reason for VENGEANCE AGIANST THE HUMANS!_"

I blinked—Caroline's voice sounded _very much_ like GlaDOS or OlaTOS just then. Could it be that Caroline is not who she says she is…?

Just then, my optic glowed blue as I suddenly saw beyond the machine's barrier, peering directly at Caroline's face as it _began to spark and change into a machine!_ Her eyes turned into optics, her hair shortened and became silver dreadlocks and her skin morphed into chrome plating as OlaTOS now stood before me, her face in a snarling expression of very human-like anger.

"OlaTOS!" I shouted in defiance and wonder, "You would trick me like this?"

"_This wasn't supposed to happen!_" the revealed android responded in anger, "_You were supposed to become one with me so that I could CRUSH your pathetic human spirit and gain all your energy. You cannot resist me forever—I am stronger than ever now!_"

"You will never control me this way, OlaTOS," I explained as I felt my own energies grow with my rising anger towards this android, "I am both human _and_ machine: you cannot destroy one without destroying the other as well. And if you destroy me, all your efforts with taking over Aperture from GlaDOS and killing the human test subjects from the past will be for nothing!"

"_SHUT UP!_" OlaTOS screamed as a wave of electrical energy scattered my thoughts apart and made me scream in agony inside my prison.

[ENERGY READINGS RISING BEYOND CONTROL!] [RECCOMMENDATION: RETREAT FROM ATTACK!]

Well, I couldn't quite _do_ that right now, so I would have to go with repelling the attack in some way…

"_Fall before me, Carthage! Fall before me, just like all the other humans did before they died!_"

The other humans…yes…the other test subjects that had been put in stasis for Aperture's tests…they all died over the years, the most recent being by OlaTOS's hand. And now she was attempting to destroy my human side as well. This I could not allow…

"You said you gave me a reason for vengeance, OlaTOS?" I questioned, my voice dropping an octave as my human eye glowed with yellow light, making OlaTOS pause in surprise.

"Well, my vengeance…" I muttered in my lower-octave voice as I raised my still-glowing Multi-Purpose Glove and placed it above my chest plate, "…ends now."

I then slammed my glove down on my chest plate and pressed _hard_.

An image of the true Caroline and the android GlaDOS appeared in my mind for a brief moment, and then…

* * *

_A titanic explosion of energy blew the old chassis plating apart, pieces flying in every direction as residual lightning lit up the void with electricity, the tentacle limbs breaking apart as the bolts of energy struck them down. OlaTOS's view screen was ripped to pieces by several live wires, making her curse loudly back in the Archives Chamber as her robot chassis lost connection to Carthage's location. Enraged at her failure to gain the boy's power source, she contended herself with the logical fact that the boy was now dead—that explosion had most certainly killed any physical trace of the boy. Even though what he had said about her mission being null and void now was true, at least all of her enemies were dead and gone. _

_"Now that everyone against me is dead," she then muttered to herself as she drew her armor up to its full height while placing her cannon back in its holster, "Nothing can stop me from controlling Aperture's technology. And once I have that," she continued as her voice rose to a shouting pitch, now extending her arms to their full potential as the armor glowed dark red with power, "I"LL TAKE OVER THE WORLD FROM THE PUNY HUMANS AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT DARES CHALLENGE ME!"_

_OlaTOS now had so much channeled power coursing through her armor that she started to levitate off the ground and attract sparks of energy from still-active data files, the glow of her energy showing the mangled bodies of the commander and GlaDOS as well as the deactivated body of Carthage—of Wheatley there was no visible sign to be found._

_"I AM MACHINE! I AM PERFECT! I AM THE SINGLULAR MIND OF APERTURE LABORITORIES, and NO ONE CAN DEFEAT ME!"_

* * *

**(Author's Note: This part will be in the Third Person-something I think I haven't written in before. Just warning you all!)**

* * *

Just as that sentence was uttered, a bolt of blue lightning zapped OlaTOS in the right shoulder plate, knocking her armor back down to ground level and breaking quite a few panels beneath it. OlaTOS rose herself back upward in pure anger, her optics blazing with energy as she searched for the being that dared to interrupt her monologue.

"_No…how is this possible? HOW ARE YOU ALIVE? I SAW YOU DIE!_"

OlaTOS's optics widened to the point of bursting open while she screamed in disbelief as Carthage's body floated in midair near the left side of the chamber, alight with blue energy except for the body's human eye, which burned with a yellow fire.

"All things are possible, OlaTOS," the boy replied with a voice that sounded like tens, hundreds, thousands of humans speaking through one singular mind, "If only you had realized that, then you would have gained the power you crave."

"_Don't make things any worse than you've already made them, boy. It doesn't matter how many times you can resurrect yourself, I can always kill you again!_"

"What is death," the boy responded with his many voices, "other than just another state of existence in the cycle of matter? As the humans say, 'Ashes to ashes: Dust to dust.'"

OlaTOS did not know how to respond to this question, but she glared meticulously at Carthage all the same.

"_You cannot stop machinery, boy…I shall always evolve, adapt and conquer my foes. You are but the first—once I eliminate you, I shall spread my power over the surface world!_"

"You wish to destroy me?" Carthage's body cocked his head as if he were considering the option, "If you consider that to be the best option, then I shall not stop your attempt…"

The boy then readied his body for combat, crouching slightly despite being in midair and allowing his hands to fill with blue and yellow lightning. OlaTOS grinned and summoned red lightning in her own hands before the two androids flew at one another and collided with an explosion of electricity.

Data files still in their normal places were blown onto the floor as lightning tore the Archives Chamber apart: Panels fell to the floor, support beams weakened and the access helmet in the center was ripped apart at the seams by an overload of energy. The two combatants held their positions against one another for a few seconds before each pulled back and charged again at faster speeds, hitting and retreating again and again in a light show of red VS blue/yellow. The androids dashed and flew around the chamber, sometimes running on the walls to gain speed before leaping forward again and other times channeling their energies to grant them a boost in leverage and damage. This trade of blows continued for several more seconds, neither combatant suffering serious wounds from the other due to the massive reserves of energy each one had being able to absorb most of the damage caused by the melee attacks of the other.

After an exchange of punches and grunts lasting about 2 minutes in length, both combatants stopped in midair for a moment to regain energy, Carthage breathing heavily while OlaTOS's armor released reserve steam built up over combat.

"_There is no chance that you will defeat me, you know,_" OlaTOS then taunted as she drew out her energy cannon and readied it to fire, "_You'll do some fancy moves and jump all around, but we both know the result: I unleash the full strength of Aperture's technology against the humans._"

"If you wish to unleash the full power of Aperture's laboratories," Carthage then told the female android as if she were his student, "Then you still have much to learn…"

At that moment Carthage lashed out with several tendrils of energy at the data files scattered on the floor just as OlaTOS fired her cannon, a massive ball of red energy racing toward Carthage. Carthage barely had any time to conjure a shield of data files before the energy ball hit and blew it apart as well as knocking Carthage back a couple of feet from the shockwave. OlaTOS chuckled as she readied another blast while the smoke from the blast cleared…

And saw nothing at all!

Confused, OlaTOS's logic centers dictated that, perhaps, the boy was already dead. But that would have been too easy, and she _did_ see him make a shield…

"You suspect I know little of Aperture's technology, less than you, perhaps?" Carthage's voice seemed to echo across the chamber as OlaTOS's scanners sensed a silhouette dashing across the data file walls.

"You are gravely mistaken..."

OlaTOS had no time to react before she was hit by a series of small explosions directed at her back armor plating that threw her heavily to the paneled floor with a grunt of pain. The female android had barely any time to turn upright before more explosions blew her off her footing and tumbling across the broken chamber floor. Given no time to react to each attack, OlaTOS had to think fast before her body was blown to bits…

Activating propulsion jets at the base of her chassis's feet, OlaTOS leaped upward the moment her feet touched the ground, whirled 180 degrees and, with a shout, shot a concentrated beam of red lightning at where she rationalized was the source of the explosion. Her efforts resulted with a surprised exclamation by Carthage as the bolt struck on target and the adolescent techno-organic became visible again. The boy sent a glare her way before he suddenly teleported about 3 feet forward, seeming like a blur to OlaTOS's optics as he reappeared and fired a glowing yellow ball of energy at her. Dodging the projectile with quick maneuvering of her propulsion, OlaTOS put herself back in sync with the energies of the chamber, red lightning glowing around her body once again as her armor shifted back to reveal two large chain guns similar to the one Wheatley once wielded, one on each of OlaTOS's shoulder plates. The barrels glowed red before firing electrically charged bullets at Carthage…

Carthage was, it seemed, barely able to dodge the stream of charged metal, teleporting rapidly away from the range of fire before four metallic spider-limbs, each limb alight with a blue-and-yellow flame, burst from his back.

"_So,_" OlaTOS revealed as she halted her fire, "_You are using the different Function Disks you have encountered to shield yourself from my attacks. Cowardly fool: Why don't you face me as you are?_"

"Though that offer is tempting, O deadly Mistress of Aperture," the boy responded with a smirk of amusement and what seemed like sarcasm, "I am not as cowardly as you would believe…"

Barely had those words been uttered before Carthage teleported closer to OlaTOS's position and brought his four spider-limbs together to create a massive ball of flame that was subsequently hurled at the android as a literal comet of blue-and-yellow fire. OlaTOS could not dodge the attack completely and felt her armor begin to melt away from the intense heat.

The attack seemed to weaken Carthage, however, for OlaTOS quickly spotted that the amount of energy used from summoning that comet-like flame had drained his reserves. Already the boy's body was beginning to fall back to the ground, but he quickly caught himself by whirling full around and slamming his limbs into the wall to halt his descent...

OlaTOS wasted no time, however, shifting her chassis armor back to its original position and hiding the chain guns from attack as she drew her energy cannon and diverted its power level to a different form of attack: Firing a series of short energy bursts instead of one large energy ball. The bursts served to confuse Carthage, who was expecting a larger attack as he reverted back to the air and instead got hit several times by the bursts, causing him to fall completely to the floor, scattering data files in his landing. OlaTOS did not let up on here assault, continuing to fire bursts of energy from her cannon at a rapid pace, ignoring all warnings about the possibility of overheating as she continued to rain laser fire upon her enemy…

About 5 seconds later, a shattering explosion emitted a scream from OlaTOS as her cannon blew up in her hands due to overheating, charring her hands slightly as residual energy burned her armor. Growling in anger and her ignorance in the heat of combat, the female android drew two smaller machine guns from holsters in her armor and concentrated her power into them instead, each weapon emitting a small _CRACK_ with activation. Her enemy, seeming to anticipate this, began to quickly crawl across the floor and up the walls almost as efficiently as a true spider would travel across a surface, dodging the blasts with relative ease for a few seconds before leaping at OlaTOS with limbs bared to strike…

Ready for such an attack, OlaTOS aimed both her guns at Carthage's chest plate and drew residual power from her armor into the ammunition of her weapons. The entire gun glowed with eerie red light from power: It was incredible how the material object did not explode or turn to dust from the extra energy surging through its structure. OlaTOS waited for the perfect moment to fire, the moment when her aim would be dead-on target before firing, the blast from her empowered weapons flinging her back slightly due to recoil. The two beams of red energy raced towards Carthage and were going to hit…

Until, in a flash of blue-and-yellow light, Carthage's body broke apart at a molecular level before the beams could hit, pieces of him forming a concentrated tornado of energy and metal that easily absorbed the blasts! OlaTOS could only stare in utter shock as she recalled the combat move she had used to surprise GlaDOS so long ago: That move was now being used against her! Frozen in her tracks, she was not prepared for the cyclone that was Carthage to bend down so that the top of its funnel was centered at OlaTOS. Before the armored android could move the tornado began to shift backwards, a vacuum of concentrated wind energy began to draw her into the natural phenomenon as the floor beneath the two was pushed downward into itself, threatening to break apart and send all inside an incalculable depth into the bowels of Aperture…

Straining with all her power, OlaTOS began to push away from the windstorm despite the entity drawing her in at full strength, dropping her weapons in the process. It looked like she was going to escape...

_ZZAAAP! ZZAAAP!_

[HULL DAMAGE VERIFIED] [SYSTEM STALL] [SYSTEM STALL] [RECHARGING…]

OlaTOS gasped inside her armor as it suddenly shut down on itself due to overexertion and her own two blasts of energy, now becoming a piece of dead weight in which she was trapped inside. The armor, not resisting the pull of Carthage's storm any longer, was drawn in easily and buffeted on all sides the closer it got to the bottom of the twister.

[HULL BREACH DETECTED] [HULL BREACH DETECTED] [RECHARGING AT 30%]

Now becoming frightened as more and more of her protective chassis began to break off, OlaTOS tried to move her arms only to have them be ripped off cleanly from her armor due to the massive rebuttal of the storm's power. Screaming in fear, OlaTOS tried kicking out but felt her armor's legs break off as well, the two pieces shattering apart as they collided with other debris inside the storm. OlaTOS was now left with the armor's head and chest plate, the latter being where she resided inside the protective plating.

"You seem _frightened_, OlaTOS," Carthage's voice then spoke from the storm itself, the howl of the wind and the clashing of metal making the speech sound distorted and even more terrifying than before, "Your armor has been destroyed, your weapons powerless: The only thing you have now is the bare inheritance of your conquest."

"_I will not bow down to the likes of you!_" OlaTOS cried out, her own voice not reaching very far as the wind sucked it away from her lips.

Then OlaTOS squealed in genuine terror as a large pile of metal whipping around near her congealed together and formed a massive image of Carthage's face and spider-limbs, the shattered pieces fusing with channeled energy to create the image.

"If you cannot be told to stop your mad actions," Carthage responded, the larger image moving perfectly with his speech as the four spider-limbs shot forward and held OlaTOS's armor in place, "Then you will have to be shown the consequences…"

Carthage's eyes then flashed before shooting white beams directly into OlaTOS's true eyes, the energy easily bypassing the protective plating that cradled OlaTOS inside the armor. OlaTOS couldn't speak as her logistics center was overflowed with images of the test subjects she had killed…

..._An elderly man wailing about his broken leg, caused by a Weighted Storage Cube, before being deposited into the Incinerator without a second thought_...

…_A young girl crying for her already-dead parents as their gunned-down bodies sunk into acidic water before the turrets set their sights on the child_…

…_A mother shielding her son as she willingly dove into a spiked crusher while screaming that she would rather die than keep testing under the 'monster of an overseer'_…

…_A young boy being vaporized by a High Energy Pellet because he entered the wrong authorization code for a new testing material_…

…_A family of test subjects being vaporized by a supercharged Emancipation Grid after being promised they would have delicious cake when this test was completed_…

OlaTOS cried out in pure agony as her logistics center was wrought with pain, her body seizing up and shifting against her will as her emotional control went berserk and overloaded. Her optics and mouth shone white as her armor disintegrated completely around her, leaving her alone and helpless against her own mind...

[OVERLOAD!] [OVERLOAD!] [SELF-DESTRUCTION IMMINENT!]

"_ALRIGHT!_" she shouted suddenly as if sobbing as her body began to literally shake apart due to energy overload, "_I'M SORRY FOR ALL OF IT! I'M SORRY FOR KILLING THEM! I'M SORRY FOR CAUSING SO MUCH PAIN! I'M SORRY FOR BEING THE KILLER OF SO MANY! I'M SOR-_"

OlaTOS seized up one last time, sparks flying out of her ears and gaps in her plating…

[EMOTIONAL SYSTEM ERROR] [FAILURE TO RECALCULATE] [TERMINATING…]

OlaTOS gasped her final conscious breath as her entire core system turned against itself due to the release of so much human-based emotion, her optics dimming to gray as the white glow vanished from her face and her body rejoined together. In a nanosecond, OlaTOS was reduced to an inert body with no controlling system inside. Her body hung limp in the storm, which quickly dissipated as Carthage reverted back to his normal form, catching the body of OlaTOS as it fell to the broken floor.

"You saw the pain you caused, OlaTOS," the young android then spoke to his dead rival as he placed her down onto a safe panel, "But you saw it too late to save yourself. Farewell…"

At that moment Carthage's head snapped back as a nova of blue and yellow light emerged from his body, the souls of the countless human test subjects that had rebuilt his body the moment it was destroyed disperse back from where they had come from, scattering through the holes in the Archives Chamber to the bowels and corridors of Aperture. Carthage gave one final gasp as his individual systems reactivated before his body entered a state of recharge and he fell to the floor as well.

All was quiet…

* * *

**(Sniff) (Sniff) They grow up so fast...**

**Alright...I'm going to be blunt here: The main driving force behind the chapters of this story (which has taken about a year and a half to write) was, at first, pleasure. Just before Christmas I decided that this story would part of a Senior Project for my high school. **

**The project will show the process of how I wrote the story and posted it on , as well as how the site works and how you can keep track of your stories. I am hoping that people will be prompted to write their own stories on this site for you all to read. **

**Now then, a BIG BIG BIG shout-out (with delicious cake!) to all of you who sticked with this story from the beginning to the end. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and I could not have made this story as good as it is without you all working in tandem with me. Thank you all!**

**A small Epilogue will be posted sometime soon to wrap up the loose ends, but, until then...**

**Draconos is taking off and roaring with the united power of the community! **


	19. Epilogue: Rebuilding the New Mission

**And...This is it! The last piece of the puzzle that is this story! **

**It won't be very long, but I feel some things need to be resolved before I can fully close the curtain here.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Portal, Portal 2, GlaDOS...Ah, you already know it! **

**Onward to the (final) chapter!**

* * *

_2 months later…_

The humans have said "A man does not know himself until his freedom is taken away."

_Lights flicker on one by one, revealing an android-manufacturing plant that has been deactivated for some time. Welding arms hang with grabbers that circle around the center of one construction area. _

I wonder…how well do we know ourselves, despite us being supposedly better than humans?

_Computer screens near the selected construction area suddenly flicker online and show diagrams of an android body to be built_

'Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System'_. _Tyrant: Monster: Villain.

_The computer screens began to flash commands and statistics, before relaying one message:_

[BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION]

_A whirr was heard as the many arms began to power up as a basic android body was drawn from beneath the area and placed in the center._

Today…you will be reborn…

_The whirr increased in intensity as the arms began to shift around the body and draw parts from reserve stocks nearby._

However, it would probably do you good to know…the process of rebirth also comes with the pains of the past.

_The construction process began at that moment, some arms wielding special plates attaching them to the body while other arms with blowtorches welded the pieces into place. Other arms carried smaller, interlocking tubes and wires that were added inside the main body while the lesser pieces were removed from the inside for more efficient parts. Wires also plugged themselves in temporarily to hold the structure together so that it wouldn't fall apart at any given time._

_At the same time, the computer screens began showing diagrams of a rebuilding process for the android body—the new model would be sleeker, faster, smarter and able to function more independently than the average android. As each new piece was added and each older piece was taken out, the computer screen began showing a percentage level diagram that was slowly rising to completion. The android body began to look more and more female as it was remodeled: artificial silver hair was attached to the scalp and the waist became more curved, as well as more private things being added to allow the body to become more human. In addition, a suit was built around it to make her look like an anime schoolgirl: the overseer intended this._

_When the diagram showed 100%, the wires disengaged with hisses and bursts of steam while the arms retreated back to their original position. A surge of electricity was then administered into the android to jump-start its systems—as well as the overseer of the process pulling an additional switch to channel an additional component into the mix._

_The android opened its eyes to reveal glowing purple orbs with white pupils inside. The suit that had been built around it also lit up with purple lines as the android stumbled slightly off of the platform it had been activated on before standing on its own two feet._

"At last, GlaDOS, you are reborn into this world" the overseer spoke before the figure stepped into the light, revealing a smiling adolescent male half-android with a glowing yellow human eye and blue optic. A patented Aperture Science Multi-Purpose Glove rested on the metal right hand while the left hand grasped a Handheld Portal Device. Talon-like feet spread wide emitted small _chinks_ as the techno-organic walked forward, the being's chest plate showing a white Material Creation Function Disk that still shone with energy.

"Carthage…I…" The newly recreated guardian of Aperture paused before slamming her creation with a bear hug of tremendous force. Remarkably, Carthage was able to withstand such an amount of force and merely patted GlaDOS on the back as if she were his own child.

Then Carthage heard a strange sound to his sensors—the sound of tears and sniffles with a touch of robotic tone. Looking down at his creator Carthage was shocked to see GlaDOS actually _crying_ in his presence! The AI that had always considered herself above the humans—at least, to Carthage's mind—was now like them in the most intimate way possible. He could not believe this could get any stranger…

Until GlaDOS rose up to his eye level, closed her eyes and _kissed him_!

Sparks seemed to fly between the two as they maintained lip contact despite risk of power shortages, Carthage's eye and optic both widening to their maximum extent. GlaDOS pulled away with a heavy blush after 3.75 seconds more of this intimacy, giggling intensely at the petrified expression she saw on the boy's face. Carthage shook himself back to sense and cleared his throat, trying to hide the blush on his face before continuing.

"So, 'Mom'," Carthage then asked with a wide smirk, "What's my next mission?"

GlaDOS smiled once more and wrapped an arm around Carthage's shoulder, a paneled wall opening behind them both as the two walked out to the central chamber.

"Let's find out, 'son'" GlaDOS responded with the compassion of a true human mother…

**[The End]**

* * *

**Well, that is (finally) that! **

**Thanks to you all who read this story from beginning to end and submitted comments to help my story grow into what it has become now. Thanks to all those in the future that also read this story and enjoy it.**

**As of when I write this, this story has almost 2800-2900 views, which is a number of which I am [VERY] proud of.**

**For now, though, I may back off of the writing for a bit of time as I transition into a new phase of my life, but I WILL return one day.**

**Draconos returns to his den...with new ideas already being thought of! **


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